Ca Darks re Cua THEBROTHERS JOHNSON? Lightnin’ Lieks? while Louis! mestmeriz- ing, slapping bass style won him the nickname “Thunder Thumbs.” ‘The duo was mentored by musicicon Quiney Jones, who produced thetr first four albums, which yielded the hits IM Be Goodto You, Strawberry Letter 23, Stomp!, Get The Funk Out ‘Ma Face and Ain't We Puaskin’ Now. Tho brothers even appeared ‘on the Oct. 5, 1978 cover of Jit magazine, ‘A new generation is being ex- posed to their enduring music every morning on the Steve Har- ‘vey Morning Show when Harvey airs a relationship segment call- ed, Strawberry Letter, with their lassie love song playing at the beginning. Other tunes they've done have also been re-introduced to the masses over the years, Jones remade I'l Be Good to You with Ray Charles and Chaka 1 utr Gore Lin "ohtson anéhisbah- Khan in 1989 on his Bact onthe er. bassistLouis"Thunder Tubs” Johrson.arestowninthe Block album. Louis played bass laip'70s as members ofthe funkduo The Brothers JOMNS9N. 6. tne song. On the same all PM aan music In the late 70s was never 'more funky than when played by sil~ lings George and Louis Johnson, better ‘known as The Brothers Johnson, Goorge’s velvety voice and rapid gui- tar playing earned him the nickname [a Jones also remade their 1976 instrumen- tal Tomorrow(A Better You, A Better Me). ‘That remake was the debut song for Tevin Campbell ‘The Brothers Johnson last album together, Kickin’, was released in 1988, ‘So, where are they now’? Both George, 65, and Louis, 58, haveretired from the musie industry, They pull in hefty checks three to four times o year for the catelog of songs that they wrote for themselves d their work for others. “Quiney protected us from jump street finan- cially. When you're situated, you don't have to do anything,” said George, the father of two who lives in Los Angeles. “We're basi- pm George, cally set forthe restof our ives.” who vesintor a father of three who. AESes. 0% Louis, «father of three who (ger a makes his bome in Minneapolis, ow enjoying added, He could have robbed The an extended vecationin Holland, are ly fair, He told us about the busi- oth retived Brothors Johnson, but he was total ness and managed us, He taught us how to manage ourselves: Louis later co-wrote and play ‘ec1 m the following Michael Jac n songs: Working Day Nigit, Offthe Wall, She's Out of My Life, I Can’t Help It, Wanna Be Seartin’ Somethie’, The Girlls Min Billie Jean, P,¥.L.,and The Lady In My Life. He also co-wrote and played on the songs: Silly Love Songs (Paul MeCartney), We Are ‘The World (USA for Afrien) and 1 Keep Forgettin’ (Michael McDonald), to name a few other catalog, “L knew the time limit on your suecess in this business. So I wanted to be a total musician and play with everybody and their momma!” said Louis, who also makes guitars and basses and has instruetional tapes on how to play, Both brothers got their start playing with Billy Preston and performed on his assie Will Jt Go Round In Cireles. ‘They are pleased that their work has stood the test of time “A lot ofour music went down as classic hits,” said George ‘any of our songs and the music will hold up even today. When people sample it, ‘sa tribute to us.” 0 ‘You canlisten to