Wow amazing.
Great to see her support of Morrissey in 2017.
Brave.
Sad loss.
I didn't know Denise Johnson once supported Morrissey in 2017. Do you mean Denise Johnson was Morrissey's 'support act' at a concert or do you mean she was 'supportive' of Morrissey in a more general sense?
This surprises me because I thought she seemed to not like Morrissey very much. Denise Johnson's politics seemed to be quite left-wing judging by what she wrote on her official Twitter page:
https://twitter.com/TheDJohnsonR3AL?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author
Denise Johnson was a spirited presence on Twitter, commenting on politics and live-tweeting her thoughts on the BBC’s "Top of the Pops" reruns probably on BBC 4.
I saw Denise Johnson as being part of Tony Wilson's "Factory Records" crowd as she sang with the band "A Certain Ratio" (ACR) which were signed to the "Factory" label.
Denise Johnson sang with "A Certain Ratio" (ACR) at "Réification: the Tony Wilson Experience" event in Manchester at the "Urbis" (which was an exhibition space and museum) held on Saturday-Sunday 21st-22nd June 2008 it was a 24-hour event! "Urbis" closed in February 2010 for conversion to the "National Football Museum".
"A Certain Ratio" (ACR) band:
en.wikipedia.org
Denise Johnson was very much part of Manchester's indie music scene!
Denise Johnson supported the Manchester Versus Cancer charity. Denise Johnson sang at the second big Versus Cancer charity concert on 30th March 2007 at the "MEN Arena" now known as the "Manchester Arena":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Versus_Cancer
Manchester Versus Cancer was founded in 2005 by Andy Rourke, Nova Rehman (his manager at the time), Tom Smetham a former ITV Granada Television producer and Stephen Chapman a former ITV News journalist. It is now known simply as 'Versus Cancer'.
Denise Johnson knew both Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner and I think she sang backing vocals on some of their "Electronic" albums.
"Electronic" (band):
en.wikipedia.org
Denise Johnson has also worked with New Order, the Pet Shop Boys, Ian Brown, Bernard Butler, the late Michael Hutchence and many others!
I met Denise Johnson very briefly by chance once in Manchester at a Smiths event the "Inside The Smiths" DVD première at "TV21" which is a bar/music venue around the bohemian 'Northern Quarter' in Manchester's city centre she was with her friend Nova Rehman (who was Andy Rourke's manager at the time). I was too shy to ask her if she was
the Denise Johnson. What I said to her was "I think I have seen your before"? This was true because I had seen her on stage before but not in person. Denise Johnson said that she hadn't seen me before. Then her friend Nova Rehman backed her up saying that I hadn't seen her before. So that was it! I guess that if Nova Rehman had been a nice polite gentleman and friendly he would of properly introduced me to his friend Denise Johnson sensing that I was shy, nervous and awkward. Nova Rehman came across as cold, condescending, standoffish, a bit rude and arrogant towards me that night, but he seemed to get on really well with Denise Johnson. I totally messed up the one and only time I met Denise Johnson!
Sadly, I will never get the opportunity to meet Denise Johnson ever again now.
I wish that I had, had a proper conversation with Denise Johnson and talked to her about her singing or just her life in general. I think that she had a good voice. I wish I had told Denise Johnson how much I liked her portrayal of Mary (mother of Lord Jesus Christ) at the Manchester Passion Play in 2006. I wonder if Denise Johnson was a Christian? I met Nova Rehman a couple of times after that but sadly he was more than just cold, condescending, standoffish, a bit rude and arrogant towards me he turned out to be a bully and was really obnoxious and was threatening and seemed hard and intimidating.
I explained to Nova privately that I have been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome but it didn't make any difference he still hated me and he didn't seem to care that I have Asperger's. The pure hatred, contempt and disdain that Nova Rehman has for me is very strong. I feel sorry for him but I'm still frightened of him. I guess that he wants to have power and control over other people. I have forgiven him for what he did to me and I pray for him.
I personally think that Denise Johnson had a better singing voice than Rowetta. Rowetta doesn't seem to like Morrissey at all. Rowetta was a bit rude to me when I met her.
This is sad news and I was shocked to hear that Denise Johnson had died so suddenly and unexpectedly at the relatively young age of 56. Denise Johnson was born in Manchester on 31st July 1963 and was raised in the suburb of Hulme. It would of been her birthday soon on 31st July! Her mother was Jamaican. My heart goes out to her family, friends and fans. My thoughts and prayers are with them.
Denise Johnson was about to release her debut solo acoustic album "Where Does It Go". She has a Smiths cover on her debut album called "Well I Wonder"?
After watching Denise Johnson perform with "Hypnotone" at Danny Rampling’s Shoom club night, the band "Primal Scream" asked her to sing with them. I remember seeing Denise Johnson interviewed in a documentary about the band "Primal Scream" on BBC 4 called "Primal Scream: The Lost Memphis Tapes" in 2018. They go back to Memphis, Tennessee to revisit the lost recordings:
Denise Johnson was probably best-known for handling lead vocals on one of the standout tracks from Primal Scream's "Screamadelica" (classic album), "Don't Fight It, Feel It".
"Primal Scream" (band):
en.wikipedia.org
I saw Denise Johnson sing live when she played the part of
Mary (the mother of Lord Jesus Christ) in the live outdoor Manchester
Passion Play in 2006 in Manchester city centre which was on BBC Three. It was great to hear her lovely singing voice up close:
Denise Johnson was also in the soul group "
Fifth of Heaven".
I think that Denise Johnson was 'discovered'? by the American soul band
"Maze" founded by
Frankie Beverly in Philadelphia in 1970:
en.wikipedia.org
Frankie Beverly's Wikipedia page:
en.wikipedia.org
Denise Johnson photographed with her friend Nova Rehman having a joke at the "Inside The Smiths" DVD première event held at 'TV21' in Manchester Sunday 15th July 2007: