Hubert Johnson (musician)
{{Short description|American singer and performer}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Hubert Johnson
| image = TheContourspromo.jpg
| caption = Hubert Johnson (second from left) as part of The Contours band
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1941|1|14|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1981|7|11|1941|1|14|mf=y}}
| death_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
| genre = R&B
| occupation = Singer
| instrument = Vocals
| years_active = 1960–1964
| label = Motown
| associated_acts = Joe Billingslea, The Contours
}}
Hubert Johnson (January 14, 1941 – July 11, 1981){{cite web|url=http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/contours.htm|title=The Contours|publisher=www.soulfulkindamusic.net|access-date=March 24, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://motownforever.proboards.com/thread/1360/memoriam-hubert-johnson|title=RIP Hubert Johnson|publisher=Motown Forever|access-date=March 24, 2015}} was an American singer and performer. Johnson is best known for being one of the original members of the Motown R&B vocal group The Contours. Johnson was also the cousin of the late Jackie Wilson.{{cite web|url=http://themusicsover.com/2010/07/11/hubert-johnson/|title=Died on This Date (July 11, 1981) Hubert Johnson / The Contours|publisher=themusicsover.com|access-date=March 24, 2015}}{{cite book|last=Simmonds|first=Jeremy|date=2008|title=The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bMBf3TYZigQC&q=hubert+johnson+contours&pg=PA155|publisher=Chicago Review Press|page=155|isbn=978-1556527548|access-date=March 24, 2015}}
Career
In 1959, local Detroit musician Joe Billingslea formed a band called "The Blenders" with fellow musicians Billy Gordon and Billy Hoggs. The next year, at the recommendation of Johnson's cousin Jackie Wilson, Johnson joined the trio making it a quartet and, at the recommendation of Billingslea, the group changed their name to "The Contours".{{cite web|url=http://classic.motown.com/artist_pages/contours/|title=classic motown: Contours|publisher=classic.motown.com|access-date=March 24, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150312125109/http://classic.motown.com/artist_pages/contours/|archive-date=March 12, 2015}}
Shortly after the renaming, Berry Gordy signed the group on to his new recording company Motown. The group's first hit came with the release of the single "Do You Love Me" in 1962. The group also achieved success with the songs "Shake Sherry" and "That Day When She Needed Me" in 1963 and 1964.{{cite web|url=http://www.thecontours.net/biography.htm|title=The Contours Biography|publisher=www.thecontours.net|access-date=March 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085158/http://www.thecontours.net/biography.htm|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite book|last=Talevski|first=Nick|date=April 7, 2010|title=Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DykffzkFALoC&q=hubert+johnson+contours&pg=PA312|publisher=Omnibus Press|page=312|isbn=978-0857121172|access-date=March 24, 2015}}
In 1964, within a matter of two weeks, Johnson along with Billingslea, Gordon, Hoggs and Contours newcomer Sylvester Potts decided to part from Motown.{{cite web|url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Contours.html|title=the contours|publisher=www.soulwalking.co.uk|access-date=March 24, 2015}}
Death
Johnson began undergoing treatment for mental health in 1980. Johnson was battling from depression amongst other illnesses. On July 11, 1981, Johnson was found dead in his Detroit home. The official cause of death was ruled to be suicide by the ingesting of rat poison and a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head.{{cite web|url=http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/rockmusicandsuicide.htm|title=Rock Music and Suicide|publisher=www.wayoflife.org|access-date=March 24, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207113832/http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/rockmusicandsuicide.htm|archive-date=December 7, 2008}}{{cite journal|date=August 27, 1981|title=Hubert Johnson, Original Contour, Commits Suicide|journal=Jet|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{The Contours}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Hubert}}
Category:American rhythm and blues singers