Anthony Johnson

Anthony Johnson

Roy Anthony Johnson (born 25 December 1957), better known simply as Anthony Johnson, is a Jamaican reggae musician who was a member of the group Mystic I and is known for the 1980s hit song "Gunshot".

Biography
Johnson was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1957. His mother Cynthia Hamilton was a market woman by trade, and his father was a Barbadian who worked as a waiter at the Sombero Club in Kingston. Anthony's parents had three children together before separating. They also had other children separately, so Johnson has several siblings. Johnson was raised by his mother in a tenement yard in the heart of Trench Town. Biah's yard at 15½ James Street is significant in Johnson's development as an artist and musician. This yard, owned by an Indian who had moved to Kingston from Cuba, doubled as a popular dance hall on weekends and holidays. Some of the big sound systems of the era, including King Tubby's, played at dances in Biah's yard. Many of the top Jamaican singers of the time were also from Trench Town, and Johnson took inspiration from the likes of John Holt, Dennis Brown, and Alton Ellis, regularly visiting the latter's yard in nearby White Street. When political violence escalated in Kingston, Johnson moved away to Montego Bay, where he stayed with Ellis's younger brother Irving. While there sang with Irving's steel band, which performed at local hotels. When Johnson moved back south, he lived in Portmore, where he befriended the actor/comedian Carl Bradshaw, and played in Bradshaw's backing band. In the mid-1970s, Johnson began auditioning at Kingston's studios, along with his friend Horace Grassett (better known as Badoo). His first recording was "Free Black Man" for producer Bunny Lee, although this was not released; Lee did, however, suggest that Johnson drop 'Roy' from his name, and he has performed as Anthony Johnson since. He went on to record for the Hoo Kim brothers at Channel One Studios, and was sufficiently successful that he could buy a guitar. Johnson spent a lot of time at the Rasta camp on Selassie Drive, where he met Les Clarke and Balvin Finals, with whom he formed the vocal trio Mystic I. They recorded several tracks with Linval Thompson, which he released without their knowledge as the album Mysterious in the UK in 1979. Tracks from those sessions were also released in 2009 by Johnson on the Perilous Time Showcase album. The group then recorded three tracks for Lee "Scratch" Perry at his Black Ark studio, with "Forward With Jah Orthodox" released by Perry as a single on his Black Art label. Ongoing solo, he recorded for several of the top Jamaican producers, most at Channel One Studios, including Linval Thompson ("Africa", "Life is Not Easy"), Henry "Junjo" Lawes ("Let Go This One", "Now I Know"), and Harry J ("Follow Them Footsteps"), but had his greatest success working with Jah Thomas who produced his first big hit in 1982 with "Gunshot", which pleaded for a cessation of the so-called "shotta" mentality, and which has remained a perennial favorite with sound systems. The single was followed by an album of the same name. Johnson continued to record throughout the 1980s, working with Prince Jammy on the hit single "A Yah We Deh", and with Dillinger on the single "Too Much". Johnson is well known in Jamaica and on the European reggae circuit. Since the late 1980s he has lived in the UK, where he worked with producers such as Jah Warrior, Rootsman, and Mike Brooks, and still performs all over Europe, especially with the French Band Positive Roots Band.

Credits & Appearances (6)

Musicians
Keyboards 2
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
The Seducer Dubwise Scientist The Seducer Dubwise JJ 082 LP Hitbound 1982 1982
The Fittest Of The Fittest Burning Spear The Fittest Of The Fittest 1077681 LP EMI 1983 1983
Vocals 3
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Reggae Feelings Anthony Johnson Reggae Feelings STLP 1022 LP Vista 1982-84 1983
Reggae Feeling Anthony Johnson Reggae Feeling LL LP 13 LP Live & Learn 1984 1984
Robert French Meets Anthony Johnson Robert French & Anthony Johnson Robert French Meets Anthony Johnson DSR 3155 LP Midnight Rock 198X

Also Appears On (35)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Roots Dancehall Party Various Artists Roots Dancehall Party SKCD 017 CD Silver Kamel 2003
Trojan Creole Reggae Box Set Various Artists Trojan Creole Reggae Box Set TJETD 161 CD Trojan 1964-94 2004
Arise Rootsman Various Artists Arise Rootsman TJDDD 118 CD Trojan 1965-83 2003
Original Riddims Various Artists Original Riddims TJCCD 246 CD Trojan 196X-8X 2006
King Jammy's At Channel 1 Various Artists King Jammy's At Channel 1 KSCD 006 CD Jamaican Recordings 1977-79 2005
This Is Roots Music Vol. 2 Various Artists This Is Roots Music Vol. 2 VGLP 006 LP Virgo Stomach 1977-82 1991
Strong Like Samson Linval Thompson & Various Artists Strong Like Samson MILKCD 9 CD Hot Milk 1979-80 2015
Can't Stop Us Now Linval Thompson & Friends Can't Stop Us Now ES 1011 CD Easy Star 1979-82 2002
Dancehall Explosion Various Artists Dancehall Explosion CDTRL 430 CD Trojan 1979-85 1999
Dancehall Stylee Various Artists Dancehall Stylee CDTRL 416 CD Trojan 1979-85 1998
Let's Go To The Blues Various Artists Let's Go To The Blues CDTRL 417 CD Trojan 1979-85 1998
King Tubby Meets The Reggae Masters Various Artists King Tubby Meets The Reggae Masters CD Charm 197X 2001
Dancehall 2 Various Artists Dancehall 2 SJRCD 223 CD Soul Jazz 197X-8X 2016
Down In The Dub Vaults Various Artists Down In The Dub Vaults VPGSRL 7106 LP 17 North Parade 197X-8X 2023
Dread Broadcasting Corp. Various Artists Dread Broadcasting Corp. TJDDD 167 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2004
Trojan Dancehall Box Set Various Artists Trojan Dancehall Box Set TRBCD 023 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2000
Trojan Dancehall Roots Box Set Various Artists Trojan Dancehall Roots Box Set TJETD 243 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2005
Trojan Roots and Culture Box Set Various Artists Trojan Roots and Culture Box Set TJETD 226 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2005
Ready When You Ready Various Artists Ready When You Ready GUMSCDXX007 CD Smugg 197X-9X 2002
Midnight Rock Presents Reggae Veterans Vol 1 Various Artists Midnight Rock Presents Reggae Veterans Vol 1 LP Clocktower 1980-84
Midnight Rock Classics Vol 1 Various Artists Midnight Rock Classics Vol 1 CD Culture Press 1981-82
Jah Thomas Greensleeves 12 Rulers Various Artists Jah Thomas Greensleeves 12 Rulers GRELCD 614 CD Greensleeves 1981-84 2008
Dub Landing Vol: 2 Scientist & Prince Jammie Dub Landing Vol: 2 VPGS 7053 CD Greensleeves 1982 2018
Midnight Rock Presents Gunshot Rhythm Various Artists Midnight Rock Presents Gunshot Rhythm MRLP 200 LP Midnight Rock 1982 2002
Kingston 13 Meet Corner Stone Various Artists Kingston 13 Meet Corner Stone none LP Corner Stone 1982-84
Midnight Rock Presents Ansa Riddim Various Artists Midnight Rock Presents Ansa Riddim MRLP 2001 LP Midnight Rock 1983 2006
Party Sounds Presents Worries In The Dance Various Artists Party Sounds Presents Worries In The Dance JJ 191 LP Empire 1984
Sly & Robbie Presents The Unmetered Taxi Various Artists Sly & Robbie Presents The Unmetered Taxi JJ 169 LP Empire 1984 1984
Reggae Stars Explosion Vol 1 Various Artists Reggae Stars Explosion Vol 1 KVL 9022 LP Kingdom 1985 1985
One-A-Way Style Various Artists One-A-Way Style LP Top Rank 198X
Presenting The Posse Vol 1 Various Artists Presenting The Posse Vol 1 LP Black Roots 198X
Presenting The Posse Vol 1 & 2 Various Artists Presenting The Posse Vol 1 & 2 UPTLP 21 LP Uptempo 198X 1992
Root Song Book Various Artists Root Song Book OLP 002 LP Our Land Sound 198X
Trojan Eighties Box Set Various Artists Trojan Eighties Box Set TJETD 253 CD Trojan 198X 2005
Trojan Rastafari Box Set Various Artists Trojan Rastafari Box Set TRBCD 022 CD Trojan 198X 2000
9 albums
6 credits
11 labels
1982 - 2002