Syl Johnson Dead Days After Musician Brother’s Death; Soul and Blues Legend Was 85

Syl Johnson, a legendary musician popularly known for his soul and blues songs, has passed away at the age of 85, a few days after his singer brother died.

In a statement published at CBS Chicago, Johnson's family confirmed his passing, saying he lived his life to the fullest as he was able to explore many things like being an entrepreneur, a singer-songwriter, and a musician who "loved black music."

"A fiery, fierce, fighter, always standing for the pursuit of justice as it related to his music and sound, he will truly be missed by all who crossed his path," they added.

In addition, the family noted that all of the music he created in the past would be remembered as "impeccable and a historical blueprint" to everyone who experienced it.

The statement concludes by saying they need prayers at this tragic time, and they wanted everyone to play his music to remember the legacy he made in the industry.

At the time of this writing, Johnson's family has not publicly disclosed his cause of death, but Brooklyn Vegan noted he died a few days after the passing of his brother, another Blues Hall of Famer, Jimmy Johnson.

Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, in 1936, the singer moved out of the state and moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he spent most of his life.

According to The Guardian, his career skyrocketed when he first released his solo material in 1959. Johnson is popularly known for writing genre-defying works, and he described himself as a "jack-of-all-trades."

A few years later, his biggest song, "Take Me To The River," became a popular favorite among fans. It was able to dominate the number seven spot in the U.S. R&B chart.

Another popular song he released was "Is It Because I'm Black?" which became controversial after "Wu-Tang Clan" sampled the music as well as Snoop Dogg and Cypress Hill."

Johnson came after the latter group and sued them, saying the sampled song wasn't cleared. He, unfortunately, lost in 2008 but later appealed in 2011.

Jimmy Johnson Dead at 93

The recent news comes a few days after Syl Johnson's brother, Jimmy, passed away at the age of 93.

Although his cause of death was not formally disclosed, Chicago Sun Times reported that he previously suffered from a stroke and survived colon cancer.

Throughout the pandemic, Delmark Records president, Julia Miller, noted how he kept up with technology and loved giving his fans free shows on Facebook via live stream every Saturday.

"He had an audience from all over the world, and people from 50 or 60 countries were watching," Miller said.