Cynthia Johnson

Cynthia Johnson (born April 22, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter and television personality. She is best known as the lead vocalist of the disco and funk group Lipps Inc. with the worldwide smash hit "Funkytown".

Musical career Beginnings Prior to becoming the lead singer of Lipps Inc., Johnson had become well-known locally for winning the 1976 Miss Black Minnesota, USA pageant, and for being the lead vocalist of the well-known Minneapolis band Flyte Tyme for seven years. Being also an accomplished saxophone player, Johnson utilized her saxophone talents in Flyte Tyme, and she also wrote many of their songs. Johnson also co-wrote some songs with band members Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, today a multi-Grammy Award-winning songwriting and producing team. Johnson completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, Morris in 1978, and continued to perform with Flyte Tyme for a brief time. Shortly after she left Flyte Tyme, the band evolved into The Time, a side project of Prince.

Lipps Inc. Johnson was the lead singer of the popular Minneapolis-based band Lipps Inc., best known for its 1980 song "Funkytown". The song hit No. 1 in 28 countries, sold more than 35 million copies worldwide, and earned a place in the "One-Hit Wonders" section of the Rock & Roll Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Other singles include "Designer Music" and "Rock It", but the group never matched the success of "Funkytown", which continues to influence popular culture. The group received several awards, among them three Billboard Music Awards and "Soul Record of the Year" by the AMOA association. Johnson left the band after the group's third album Designer Music was released.

Late 1980s to present Johnson has continued her musical career and remains active as a member of the three-time Grammy Award-winning gospel group Sounds of Blackness, as a musician on albums by Maceo Parker and Prince, on labels such as Motown, and on projects of Grammy-winning producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. She also has worked as a jingle singer on commercials for products from 3M, Volkswagen, Nissan, Target, FedEx, Ford and McDonald's. She has also sung for U.S. presidents. Johnson was the host of the first episode of the FunkyTown TV series, produced by the Minneapolis-based production company, Megabien Entertainment.

Solo career In addition to working with others, Johnson continues her career as a solo artist. Her debut album, All That I Am, was released on December 15, 2013, on the Megabien Music label.

Discography Solo albums and lead vocalist 1979: Mouth to Mouth – Lipps, Inc. – Lead Vocals 1980: Pucker Up – Lipps, Inc. – Lead Vocals 1981: Designer Music – Lipps, Inc. – Lead Vocals, songwriter 1992: Funkyworld – Lipps, Inc. – Lead Vocals 2003: Funkytown – Lipps, Inc. – Lead Vocals, songwriter, composer 2013: All That I Am – Main Vocals, songwriter, producer

Additional appearances 1978: A Touch on the Rainy Side – Jesse Winchester – Choir/Chorus 1980: Billboard Top Dance Hits: 1980 – Saxophone, Vocals 1987: Kiss Serious – Chico DeBarge – backing vocals 1988: Just Like That – Brownmark – backing vocals 1988: Personal & Attention – Stacy Lattisaw – backing vocals 1988: When the Lights Go Out – Pia Zadora – backing vocals 1988: Carry On, Vol. 2 – Ipso Facto – Vocals 1988: Omaiyo – Robin Adnan Anders – Vocals 1990: I Am – Elisa Fiorillo – backing vocals 1990: The Brojos – The Brojos – Rap, backing vocals 1991: Here It Is – Jevetta Steele – backing vocals 1991: Imperial Bells of China – Hubei Song & Dance Ensemble – Photography 1994: African-American Music in Minnesota – Vocals 1995: It Must Be Christmas – Debbie Duncan – Choir/Chorus, Vocals 1996: Best of the Singer's Voice – Performer, Primary Artist 1996: Greatest Hits – Georgia Mass Choir – Choir/Chorus 1998: Lonnie Hunter & The Voices of St. Mark – Lonnie Hunter – Alto Vocals 1998: Lost in the Blues – Doug Maynard – backing vocals 1998: River of Song: A Musical Journey Down the Mississippi – Producer 1999: Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions – Shannon Curfman – backing vocals 1999: Billboard Top Dance Hits: 1976–1980 – Saxophone, Vocals 2002: Solid Gold Funk – Vocals 2002: Soul Symphony – Sounds of Blackness – Alto Vocals 2003: Angels on the Freeway – Kevin Bowe – Vocals 2003: Cross N Water – Ford – Vocals, backing vocals 2003: David Young – David Young – backing vocals 2003: Made by Maceo – Maceo Parker – backing vocals 2003: Sweet Talk – Reneé Austin – backing vocals 2004: Deliverance – Shane Henry – backing vocals 2005: In the Fellowship – Patrick Lundy – Tenor Vocals 2005: Right About Love – Reneé Austin – Vocal Harmony, backing vocals 2005: School's In! – Maceo Parker – Vocals, backing vocals 2005: Unity – Sounds of Blackness – Alto Vocals, Primary Artist, Vocals 2006: I'll Play All Night Long – John McAndrew – backing vocals 2006: Overflow – Kevin Davidson – Banjo 2007: Between Saturday Night and Sunday Morning – Mick Sterling – Main Personnel, Vocals, backing vocals 2007: Kings and Queens: Message from the Movement – Sounds of Blackness – Alto Vocals 2007: The One Who's Leavin''' – Doug Spartz – backing vocals 2010: Chinese Whispers – Alison Scott – backing vocals 2010: Life's a Party: the Best of In Between – Primary Artist 2011: Hope One Mile – G.B. Leighton – Vocal Harmony 2011: Sounds of Blackness – Sounds of Blackness – Alto Vocals, Group Member, Vocals 2012: Natchez Trace – Kevin Bowe – Vocal Harmony 2012: "Nothing But a Breeze" / "A Touch on the Rainy Side" – Jesse Winchester –Choir/Chorus 2013: He's Faithful – James Pullin & Remnant – Soprano vocals 2013: Purple Snow, Forecasting the Minneapolis Sound – Lead Vocals, Songwriter (1970s recording on compilation)

Filmography Live performance "Higher Ground" with ABC Youth Choir, Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, 2001 Funkytown, TV series, 2013 Les Annees Bonheur, French TV show, 2014

Awards and recognitions Miss Black Minnesota USA, 1976 Induction into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame as a member of Lipps Inc Recipient of Platinum in the US, Double Platinum in Canada, Gold in France and Germany, Silver in the UK, among others, as the lead singer on "Funkytown" Three Billboard Music Awards, 1980 Three-time Grammy Award Winner as a member of Sounds of Blackness, 1991, 1993 and 1998