Johnny Nash

John Lester Nash Jr. (August 19, 1940Template:SpndOctober 6, 2020)<ref name=obit>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was an American singer and songwriter, best known in the United States for his 1972 hit "I Can See Clearly Now".<ref name="Larkin">Template:Cite book</ref> Primarily a reggae and pop singer, he was one of the first non-Jamaican artists to record reggae music in Kingston.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Early life

Nash was born on August 19, 1940, in Houston, Texas, the son of Eliza (Armstrong) and John Lester Nash.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He sang in the choir at Progressive New Hope Baptist Church in South Central Houston as a child.<ref name="allmusic"/><ref name="Milkowski">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Beginning in 1953, Nash sang covers of R&B hits on Matinee, a local variety show on KPRC-TV;<ref name="allmusic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Milkowski"/> from 1956 he sang on Arthur Godfrey's radio and television programs for a seven-year period.<ref name="allmusic"/>

Career

1950s

Signing with ABC-Paramount, Nash made his major label debut in 1957 with the single "A Teenager Sings the Blues". He had his first chart hit in early 1958 with a cover of Doris Day's "A Very Special Love".<ref name="allmusic"/> Marketed as a rival to Johnny Mathis, Nash also enjoyed success as an actor early in his career, appearing in the screen version of playwright Louis S. Peterson's Take a Giant Step in 1959.<ref name="Larkin"/><ref name="allmusic"/> Nash won a Silver Sail Award for his performance from the Locarno International Film Festival. Nash continued releasing singles on a variety of labels such as Groove, Chess, Argo, and Warner Bros.<ref name="allmusic"/> The song "The Teen Commandments" by Paul Anka, George Hamilton IV, and Johnny Nash reached #14 on Canada's CHUM Charts, December 15, 1958.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

1960s

Nash sang the theme song to the syndicated animated cartoon series The Mighty Hercules, which ran on various television stations from 1963 to 1966.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1964, Nash and manager Danny Sims formed JoDa Records in New York.<ref name="Moskowitz">Template:Cite book</ref> JoDa released The Cowsills' single "All I Really Want to Be Is Me".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Although JoDa filed for bankruptcy after only two years, Nash and Sims moved on to marketing American singers to Jamaica, owing to the low cost of recording in that country.<ref name="Moskowitz"/>

In 1965, Nash had a top five hit in the US Billboard R&B chart, the ballad "Let's Move and Groove Together".<ref name="allmusic"/> It was just outside the Top 40 in Canada at #44.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> That year, he and Sims moved to Jamaica.<ref name="Dansby">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Their lawyer Newton Willoughby was the father of Jamaican radio host Neville Willoughby.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After selling off his old entertainment assets in New York, Sims opened a new music publishing business in Jamaica, Cayman Music.<ref name="Moskowitz"/> Nash planned to try breaking the local rocksteady sound in the United States.<ref name="Larkin"/> Around 1966 or 1967, Neville Willoughby took Nash to a Rastafarian party where Bob Marley & The Wailing Wailers were performing.<ref name="Dansby"/><ref name="Moskowitz"/> Members Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, and Rita Marley introduced Nash to the local music scene.<ref name=LARB>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Nash signed all four to an exclusive publishing contract with Cayman Music for J$50 a week.<ref name="Moskowitz"/>

In 1967, Nash, Arthur Jenkins, and Sims collaborated to create a new label, JAD Records (after their first names Johnny, Arthur, and Danny), and recorded their albums at Federal Records in Kingston.<ref name="Moskowitz" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> JAD released Nash's rocksteady single "Hold Me Tight" in 1968; it became a top-five hit in both the U.S. and UK,<ref name="allmusic" /> and number 1 in Canada.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The record sold well in Argentina. According to the January 25 issue of Cash Box, both Nash's version and a version by Anthony Swete were selling strongly.<ref>Cash Box, January 29, 1969 - Page 76 Cash Box Argentina</ref> It was charting alongside a version by Anthony Swete in the Argentina's Best Sellers chart.<ref>Cash Box, January 29, 1969 - Page 76 Cash Box Argentina, Argentina's Best Sellers, This Week 5, Last Week 9 Hold Me Tight (Odeon) Anthony Swete (RCA); Johnny Nash (EMI)</ref>

1970s

In 1971, Nash scored another UK hit with his cover of Marley's "Stir It Up".<ref name="allmusic" />

Nash's 1972 reggae-influenced single "I Can See Clearly Now" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in November 1972.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">Template:Cite book</ref> "I Can See Clearly Now" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 4, 1972, and remained atop the chart for four weeks, spending the same four weeks atop the adult contemporary chart. The I Can See Clearly Now album includes four original Marley compositions published by JAD: "Guava Jelly", "Comma Comma", "You Poured Sugar on Me", and the follow-up hit "Stir It Up". "There Are More Questions Than Answers" was a third hit single taken from the album.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nash was also a composer for the Swedish romance film Want So Much to Believe (1971),<ref name=Steffens>Template:Cite book</ref> in which he portrayed 'Robert'.<ref name=BFI>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The movie soundtrack, partly instrumental reggae with strings, was co-composed by Bob Marley and arranged by Fred Jordan.<ref name=Steffens/>

JAD Records ceased to exist in 1971,<ref name="Larkin"/> but it was revived in 1997 by American Marley specialist Roger Steffens and French musician and producer Bruno Blum for the Complete Bob Marley & the Wailers 1967–1972 ten-album series, for which several of the Nash-produced Marley and Tosh tracks were mixed or remixed by Blum for release. In the UK, his biggest hit was with the song "Tears on My Pillow" which reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in July 1975 for one week.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">Template:Cite book</ref> The album Tears on My Pillow came out later in the year.<ref name="Evidence of the month and year of album's release">Template:Cite news</ref>

After a cover of Sam Cooke's "Wonderful World" in 1976 and "Let's Go Dancing" in 1979, for many years Nash seemed to have dropped out of sight.

Later career

Nash had a brief resurgence in the mid-1980s with the album Here Again (1986), which included the minor UK hit, "Rock Me Baby". Younger audiences were introduced to Nash's music with the appearance of Jimmy Cliff's cover of "I Can See Clearly Now" in Disney's 1993 film Cool Runnings. Nash's version of the song appeared over the opening scene of John Cusack's 1997 film, Grosse Point Blank.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In May 2006, Nash worked with SugarHill Recording Studios chief engineer Andy Bradley and Tierra Studios' Randy Miller to transfer analog tapes of his songs from the 1970s and 1980s to Pro Tools digital format.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Acting

Nash has four acting credits in film and television. In 1959, he had the lead role as Spencer Scott in Take a Giant Step, directed by Philip Leacock, one of the first black family films written by a black writer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1960, he appeared as "Apple" alongside Dennis Hopper in the crime drama Key Witness.<ref name="Larkin"/> In 1971, he played Robert in the Swedish romance Vill så gärna tro.<ref name=BFI/>

Personal life

Nash was married three times and had 3 children.one child was left behind in kingston Jamaica now located montreal, Canada<ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Nash died of natural causes in his home, surrounded by close family in Houston on October 6, 2020, after a period of declining health.<ref name="auto"/> He was 80.<ref name=AP>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Selected discography

Albums

Source: AllMusic<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Year	Title	Peak chart positions				Record label
		US <ref name="Awards">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	US R&B <ref name="Awards"/>	AUS <ref name="aus"/>		UK <ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/>
1958	Johnny Nash	–	–	–	–	ABC Paramount
1959	I Got Rhythm	–	–	–	–
	Quiet Hour	–	–	–	–
1960	Let's Get Lost	–	–	–	–
1961	Studio Time	–	–	–	–
1964	Composer's Choice	–	–	–	–	Argo
1968	Hold Me Tight	109	23	–	–	JAD
1969	Prince of Peace	–	–	–	–
	Soul Folk	–	–	–	–
	Love and Peace	–	–	–	–
1972	Teardrops in the Rain	–	–	–	–	Cadet
	I Can See Clearly Now	23	10	29	39	Epic
1973	My Merry-Go-Round	169	49	–	–
1974	Celebrate Life	–	–	–	–
1975	Tears on My Pillow	–	–	–	–	CBS
1977	What a Wonderful World	–	–	–	–	Epic
1978	Love Me Tender	–	–	–	–	Bellaphon
1979	Let's Go Dancing	–	–	–	–	Epic
1986	Here Again	–	–	–	–	London
"–" denotes releases that did not chart.

Compilations

Source: AllMusic<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Year	Album	UK <ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/>	Certifications	Record label
1974	Johnny Nash's Greatest Hits	–	BPI: Silver<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	CBS
1977	Johnny Nash Collection	18	BPI: Gold<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Epic
1981	Stir It Up	–		Hallmark
1993	The Reggae Collection	–		Epic
"–" denotes releases that did not chart.

Soundtrack

Nash sang the theme song for the television cartoon series The Mighty Hercules, which aired in first-run syndication from 1963 to 1966.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref>

Singles

Source: AllMusic<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Year	Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated	Chart positions							Certifications	Album
		US <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	US Cashbox <ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	US R&B <ref name="whitburnr&b">Template:Cite book</ref>	US A/C <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	UK <ref name="betts">Template:Cite book</ref>	CAN <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>			AUS <ref name="aus">Template:Cite book</ref>
1956	"A Teenager Sings the Blues" b/w "Out of Town"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–		Non-album tracks
1957	"I'll Walk Alone" b/w "The Ladder of Love"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"A Very Special Love" b/w "Won't You Let Me Share My Love with You"	23	30	–	–	–	–	–
1958	"My Pledge to You" b/w "It's So Easy to Say"	–	–	–	–	–	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	–
	"Please Don't Go" b/w "I Lost My Love Last Night"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"You're Looking at Me" b/w "Truly Love"	–	98	–	–	–	–	–
	"Almost in Your Arms" b/w "Midnight Moonlight" (from Johnny Nash)	78	49	–	–	–	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	–
	"The Teen Commandments" Paul Anka, George Hamilton IV, Johnny Nash B-side by Don Costa: "If You Learn to Pray"	29	46	–	–	–	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	41
1959	"Walk with Faith in Your Heart" b/w "Roots of Heaven"	–	48	–	–	–	–	–
	"As Time Goes By" b/w "The Voice of Love"	43	48	–	–	–	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	–
	"And the Angels Sing" b/w "Baby, Baby, Baby"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–		I Got Rhythm
	"Take a Giant Step" b/w "But Not for Me"	–	119	–	–	–	–	–		Non-album tracks
	"The Wish" b/w "Too Proud"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1960	"Goodbye" b/w "A Place in the Sun"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Never My Love" b/w "(You've Got) The Love I Love" (from I Got Rhythm)	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Let the Rest of the World Go By" b/w "Music of Love" (non-album track)	–	–	–	–	–	–	–		Let's Get Lost
	"Looks Like the End of the World" b/w "We Kissed"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–		Non-album tracks
	"Somebody" b/w "Kisses"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1961	"Some of Your Lovin'" b/w "World of Tears"	104	93	–	–	–	–	–
	"I Need Someone to Stand by Me" Original B-side: "A House on the Hill" Later B-side: "A Thousand Miles Away"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"I'm Counting on You" b/w "I Lost My Baby"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Too Much Love" b/w "Love's Young Dream"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1962	"Don't Take Away Your Love" b/w "Moment of Weakness"	–	129	–	–	–	–	–
	"Ol' Man River" b/w "My Dear Little Sweetheart"	120	91	–	–	–	–	–
1963	"I'm Movin' On" b/w "Cigarettes, Whiskey and Wild, Wild Women"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"I've Got a Lot to Offer Darling" b/w "Helpless"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Deep in the Heart of Harlem" b/w "What Kind of Love Is This"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Town of Lonely Hearts" b/w "It's No Good for Me"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1964	"I'm Leaving" b/w "Oh Mary Don't You Weep"	120	103	–	–	–	–	–
	"Love Ain't Nothin'" b/w "Talk to Me"	–	133	–	–	–	–	–		Teardrops in the Rain
	"Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" b/w "Always" (non-album track)	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1965	"Strange Feeling" b/w "Spring Is Here" (from Composer's Choice)	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Teardrops in the Rain" b/w "I Know What I Want"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Let's Move & Groove Together" b/w "Understanding" (from Love Me Tender)	88	92	4	–	–	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	–		Non-album track
1966	"Get Myself Together" b/w "Teardrops in the Rain"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–		Teardrops in the Rain
	"One More Time" b/w "Tryin' to Find Her"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–		Love Me Tender
	"Somewhere" b/w "Big City"	120	118	35	–	–	–	–
	"Amen" b/w "Perfumed Flower"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–		Non-album tracks
1967	"Good Goodness" b/w "You Never Know"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"(I'm So) Glad You're My Baby" b/w "Stormy"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1968	"Hold Me Tight" b/w "Cupid"	5	7	21	20	5	1	4		Hold Me Tight
	"You Got Soul" b/w "Don't Cry"	58	55	46	–	6	37	72
1969	"Lovey Dovey" b/w "You Got Soul"	130	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"We Try Harder"* b/w "My Time"*	135	–	–	–	–	–	–		Johnny Nash & Kim Weston
	"Sweet Charity" b/w "People in Love" (from Hold Me Tight)	–	–	–	–	–	–	–		Non-album track
	"Love and Peace" b/w "People in Love" (from Hold Me Tight)	132	–	–	–	–	–	–		Love and Peace
	"Cupid" b/w "Hold Me Tight"	39	36	–	38	6	30	–		Hold Me Tight
1970	"(What A) Groovey Feeling" b/w "You Got Soul" – Part 1 (from Soul Folk)	102	131	–	–	–	–	–		Non-album tracks
	"Falling in and Out of Love" b/w "You Got to Change Your Ways" (from Hold Me Tight)	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1972	"Stir It Up" b/w "Cream Puff"	–	11	–	6	13	7	48		I Can See Clearly Now
	"I Can See Clearly Now" b/w "How Good It Is"	1	1	38	1	5	1	3	BPI: Gold<ref>Template:Cite certification</ref>
	"There Are More Questions Than Answers" b/w "Guava Jelly"	–	–	–	–	9	–	–
1973	"Stir It Up" b/w "Ooh Baby You've Been Good to Me"	12Template:Efn	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"My Merry-Go-Round" b/w "(Oh Jesus) We're Trying to Get Back to You"	77	74	–	34	–	47	–		My Merry-Go-Round
	"Ooh What a Feeling" b/w "Yellow House"	103	–	–	38	–	–	–
1974	"Loving You" b/w "Gonna Open Up My Heart Again"	91	67	40	–	–	–	–
	"You Can't Go Halfway" b/w "The Very First Time"	105	90	38	–	–	–	–		Celebrate Life
	"Celebrate Life" b/w "Beautiful Baby"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1975	"(You Gave Me Such) Good Vibrations" b/w "The Very First Time"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	"Tears on My Pillow" b/w "Beautiful Baby" (from Celebrate Life)	–	–	–	–	1	–	69	BPI: Silver<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Tears on My Pillow (UK release only)
	"Let's Be Friends" b/w "The Edge of Love"	–	–	–	–	42	–	–
1976	"(What A) Wonderful World" b/w "Rock It Baby (Baby We've Got a Date)" (from Tears on My Pillow)	103	82	66	34	25	–	96		What a Wonderful World (UK release only)
1977	"That Woman" b/w "Back in Time"	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
1979	"Closer" b/w "Mr. Sea"	–	–	74	–	–	–	–		Let's Go Dancing
1985	"Rock Me Baby" b/w "Love Theme from Rock Me Baby"	–	–	–	–	47	–	99		Here Again
1989	"I Can See Clearly Now" (remix) CD single with three other tracks	–	–	–	–	54	–	–		Non-album track
"–" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

External links

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