Johnny Echols

Johnny Echols was born the February 21st 1947 with Memphis, Tennessee. It is a singer, type-setter and American guitarist. It is known to have played in groups at the sides the large ones of the music such as Little Richard, Billy Preston and Jimi Hendrix, like to have been the guitarist of a time of Miles Davis. But its fame is over all due to its activity of guitarist solo within the legendary group of Rock psychedelic Love, of which he is the cofounder with Arthur Lee, the singer of the group.

Arthur and Johnny indeed met during their childhood. The parents Lee and Echols were professors with Memphis, when Arthur and Johnny were born. The two families moved with Los Angeles, where Johnny Echols accepted lessons of guitars of a neighbor, who proved to be the guitarist of the group The Coasters. In Dorsey High School, Johnny founded a group of music with Arthur Lee (excel player of tennis shoe and organ), Allan Talbert with the saxophone, and Roland Davis with the battery. Soon, another classmate, Billy Preston, united with the group and Lee became the principal singer about it. This group was named The LAG (abbreviation of The Los Angeles Group).

The members of The LAG were obliged to carry false moustache to give the impression which they were major, in order to be able to play in clubs of Los Angeles. What they did, before being challenged by an aggressive manager who made them play under the names of various more known groups. One day, whereas they played under the name of the group The Coasters, a professor of Dorsey High School approached and says: " I know which you are, Johnny Echols. You and your comrades are not Coasters, but you made a work so much époustouflant which I will not reveal your secrecy with personne".

In 1963 Johnny Echols, having obtained the authorization of its family, went on a journey in England to play with the group of Little Richard. Thereafter, Arthur Lee and played to him with Billy Preston and Jimmy James (which was going soon to re-elect Jimi Hendrix) with the legendary L.A. 'S California Club.

Johnny Echols, at the sides of Arthur Lee and of the rhythmic guitarist Bryan MacLean, wrote and arranged several pieces for their group Love, and one clearly feels there his directing play of guitar. Coil became a very great rock group psychedelic, and its album worship Forever Changes was in particular elected in 2005, by the Association of Disk Jockeys European, better album rock'n'roll of all times.

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