Roszetta Johnson
Roszetta Johnson Scovil, sometimes spelled Rosetta or Rozetta (born June 11, 1942 in Tuscaloosa; died March 24, 2011) was a soul, R&B and jazz vocalist residing in Birmingham.
Johnson, the daughter of Annie Standford, began singing in a church choir and with the Violet Harmonettes. She moved to Birmingham, and later to McIntosh after her parents separated, graduating from Union High School. She returned to Birmingham and emerged as a soul singer in the 1960s with a regular gig at the 401 Club and a few records of John Hayden songs.
From there she was hired as a featured singer at the lounge and supper club in the A. G. Gaston Motel. Soon she was recording tracks written and produced by Sam Dees on Jesse Lewis' and Clinton Moon's Clintone Records. The first of those, "A Woman's Way" (1970), made it onto the national pop charts and hit #28 on the R&B chart.
She went on to tour with Bill Doggett and to stand in for Candi Staton. She was honored as a "Great Alabama Star" by Governor George Wallace in 1972. In the mid 1970s she was a featured performer at the Show-Boat Lounge on Morris Avenue.
Meanwhile, Johnson earned her bachelor of arts at UAB and taught at Ramsay High School for 25 years.
In 1982 she was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Soon later she returned to primarily performing gospel songs, including regular appearances on the Country Boy Eddie Show. She joined the Shades Mountain Baptist Church choir and has toured toured Japan, Ireland, and England with praise teams. She was awarded the 2007 BAMA Award for "Best Female Vocalist."
Her 2008 CD, "Christmas Songs With A Touch Of Jazz," was produced by Ray Reach and features Birmingham musicians John Nuckols, Chris Wendle, Gary Wheat and Dave Amaral. The song "Good Morning Jesus" concerned her struggle with breast cancer.
Scovil died in March 2011. She was survived by her four children: Joey, Patrice, LaQuita and Demetrice; five grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Discography
- Roszetta Johnson & the Organettes (1963) "Willow Weep For Me" / "I Understand My Man". NRC 2871-39
- Roszetta Johnson (1965) "That Hurts" / "It's Nice To Know You" Jessica Records 402
- Rosetta Johnson (1966) "That Hurts" / "It's Nice To Know You" Atlantic Records 45-2297
- Rozetta Johnson (1970) "A Woman's Way" / "Mine Was Real". Clintone Records. CT-001
- Rozetta Johnson (1971) "Who Are You Gonna Love (Your Woman or Your Wife)". Clintone Records. CT-003
- Rozetta Johnson (1971) "Holding The Losing Hand" / "Chained & Bound". (Sam Dees, Showtime Production Co.) Clintone Records. CT-006
- Rozetta Johnson (1972) "To Love Somebody" / "Can't You Just See Me". (Sam Dees, Showtime Production Co.) Clintone Records. CT-007
- Rozetta Johnson (1972) "How Can You Love Something You Never Had" / "Personal Woman". (Sam Dees, Showtime Production Co.) Clintone Records. CT-008
- Roszetta Johnson (1975) "(I Like Making That) Early Morning Love." (Sam Dees, Showtime Production Co.). Columbia Records 3-10247
- Rozetta Johnson (2007) Personal Woman: The Legendary Clintone Sessions 1970 to 1975. Soulscape Records. SLCP 7004
- Roszetta Johnson (2008) Christmas Songs With A Touch Of Jazz. Magic City Music MCM-411
- Rozetta Johnson (2016) A Woman's Way (The Complete Rozetta Johnson 1963-1975). Kent Soul CDKEND 456
References
- "Sound that sells." (February 1971) Birmingham magazine. Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 23-25
- "Funkadelic" (April 2, 1971) Blues & Soul No. 56, p. 9
- "Roszetta Johnson Scovil" obituary (March 31, 2011) The Birmingham News
- Colurso, Mary (March 31, 2011) "Funeral services for Birmingham singer Roszetta Johnson at Shades Mountain Baptist Church." The Birmingham News