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Sammy Reginald Johns (February 7, 1946 – January 4, 2013) was an American singer and songwriter, best known for his million-selling 1975 hit single, "Chevy Van".[1]

Sammy Johns
Birth name	Sammy Reginald Johns
Born	(1946-02-07)February 7, 1946 Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Died	January 4, 2013(2013-01-04) (aged 66) Gastonia, North Carolina, United States
Genres	Folk rock, soft rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1970–2013
Labels	General Recording Corporation, Warner-Curb, New World, Elektra

Career

Johns was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. Johns' father gave him a guitar when he was nine, and he founded his first band (the Devilles) in his teenage years.[2] The group performed locally and made a few records for Dixie Records.[2] Johns moved to Atlanta, where he signed with General Recording in 1973. His first solo recording was "Early Morning Love" (1973).[2]

"Chevy Van" (1975) reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[1] and remained in the chart for 17 weeks. It was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. on May 4, 1975.[1] The titular song had been recorded in 1973, but was initially shelved and only released after 18 months with the album. It became very popular.[3] The song sold about three million copies, and is credited for an increase in van sales the following year.[2] In Canada, the song reached No. 7 in the RPM Magazine charts.[4]

The song and an album (also titled "Chevy Van") led to a contract with Warner Curb Records to produce a soundtrack for the 1977 film The Van at the height of the Vansploitation genre. In an interview with WBT radio personality Keith Larson, Johns was paraphrased as saying "the song wasn't about a specific woman he met – but a compilation of events."[3]

Johns switched to the Elektra label, where he issued singles such as "Common Man" and "Love Me off the Road". In his later career, he was mainly known as a composer rather than as a performer, as many covered versions of his songs became successful.[2] John Conlee's cover version of "Common Man" reached number 1. Conlee made the song his theme song.[2] Johns' songs have also been covered by Waylon Jennings, Sammy Kershaw, Conway Twitty (his final Billboard No. 1, "Desperado Love") and Fu Manchu. After Jennings sang Johns' song "America" at a celebration of the restoration of the Statue of Liberty in 1985, the single was nominated for country song of the year.[2]

Death

Johns died on January 4, 2013, at Gaston Memorial Hospital in Gastonia, North Carolina, at the age of 66.[3]

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	US	Label
1973	Sammy Johns (LP)	148	General Recording
1994	Golden Classics (CD)	—	Collectables
2000	Honky Tonk Moon (CD)	—	Southern Tracks

Singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions			RIAA	Album
		US[5]	US Country	AUS[6]
1974	"Chevy Van"	5	—	74	Gold	Sammy Johns
	"Early Morning Love"	68	79	56	—
1975	"Rag Doll"	52	—	—	—
1976	"Peas in a Pod"[7]	—	—	—	—	N/A
1980	"Falling for You"	103	—	—	—
1981	"Common Man"	—	50	—	—
1988	"Chevy Van" (re-release)	—	80	—	—

Quotes

That was the era of hippies, with free love and all that. I was sort of a hippie – a conservative hippie.

— Sammy Johns, interviewed by Keith Larson in May 2012 about recording Chevy Van.[3]

Chevy Van, a song about a loose-loving man who picks up a woman while he's on the road, struck a loud chord with listeners in the sexually liberated '70s when Johns released it mid-decade.

— Linda Seida, Biography about Sammy Johns.[2]

References

External links

• Interview with Sammy Johns
• Entry at discogs.com
• Sammy Johns at AllMusic

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