Happy Birthday, Beach Boy Bruce Johnston

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Hat tip, This Day in Rock: http://www.thisdayinrock.com/index.php/general/1944-bruce-johnston-of-the-beach-boys/

Bruce Johnston

Bruce Arthur Johnston (born Benjamin Baldwin on June 27, 1942) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer best known as a member of the Beach Boys. In 1965, Johnston joined the band for live performances, filling in for the group's co-founder Brian Wilson, who had quit touring in order to spend more time in the studio. Johnston then became a contributing member on subsequent albums.

His songs for the Beach Boys include "Tears in the Morning" (1970), "Deirdre" (1970), and "Disney Girls (1957)" (1971). He served as a producer for the Beach Boys albums L.A. (Light Album) (1979) and Keepin' the Summer Alive (1980). Johnston is also known for his early 1960s collaborations with Terry Melcher as Bruce & Terry and with the surf band the Rip Chords, as well as composing the 1975 Barry Manilow song "I Write the Songs". He continues to tour as a member of the Beach Boys alongside band co-founder Mike Love.

I Write the Songs

"I Write the Songs" is a popular song written for David Cassidy by Bruce Johnston in 1975 but made famous by Barry Manilow. Manilow's version reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1976 after spending two weeks atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart in December 1975. It won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and was nominated for Record of the Year in 1977. Billboard ranked it as the No. 13 song of 1976.

The original version was recorded by The Captain & Tennille, who worked with Johnston in the early 1970s with The Beach Boys. It appears on their 1975 album, Love Will Keep Us Together. The first release of I Write the Songs as a single was by then teen-idol David Cassidy from his 1975 solo album The Higher They Climb, which was also produced by Bruce Johnston. Cassidy's version reached #11 on the UK Singles Chart in August of that year.

Welcome to the '70s:

[Zambero]

1. He of the wingnut variety

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/beach-boys-bruce-johnston-president-obama-comments/

Indeed, a capable musician and songwriter, although the Barry Manilow-recorded "I Write the Songs" was for me a bit of pop drivel and difficult to listen to.

His Beach Boys tour boss Mike Love also happens to be a dyed-in-the-wool Republican.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. I had always thought that Barry Manilow wrote the song called "I Write the Songs."

I can't do a lot about their politics. When it's Alice Cooper's birthday, I'll note that too.

Beach Boys groupie Charles Manson? Maybe not.