Biographies

The Flamingos

In 1954, Terry (at age 16) recorded with a Baltimore group called The Whispers (not The Whispers of the 1960's) on Gotham Records in Philadelphia. He wrote, arranged and sang lead on "Fool Heart" and co-wrote, arranged and sang lead on "Are You Sorry," released in 1955.

He brought that sound and talent to The Flamingos in 1956 with his first arrangement of music and vocals on "The Ladder of Love." He continued with writing and arranging, "Lovers Never Say Goodbye," "Mio Amore," "At The Prom," "Heavenly Angel," "You, Me and the Sea," his unforgettably beautiful production and arrangement of "I Only Have Eyes For You" and others. Terry arranged the music, vocals and sang tenor on all of the songs on the albums "Flamingo Serenade," "Requestfully Yours" and "Flamingo Favorites." Terry sang on the duets such as "Lovers Never Say Goodbye," "Love Walked In," "Time Was" and "But Not For Me." He also sang the lead on some of their album cuts such as "I'm In The Mood For Love," "When I Fall In Love" and "Beside You."

After The Flamingos, Terry formed his own group called Terry Johnson & The Modern Flamingos. When Nate Nelson left The Flamingos, he joined forces with Terry. They recorded under the name The Starglows. They co-wrote and sang "Let's Be Lovers" on the Atco Label, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. Terry arranged the background vocals using his group.

Still working with his group, Terry went to Motown Records as an artist and a producing partner with Smokey Robinson. As an artist, he recorded several records on the Gordy Label. He wrote, arranged, and produced songs for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Supremes, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Edwin Starr, The Spinners, Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers, Jimmy Ruffin, Mickey Denton, Blinky and other Motown artists.