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House legend Paul Johnson passes away aged 50 from COVID-19

by on at 11:30am.
Last edited: 05.08.2021 at 11:32am.

Covid claims US house icon

US house music artist and producer Paul Johnson has died aged 50, after contracting COVID-19.

Johnson was moved to intensive care in July, after having been hospitalised with the virus. A statement from Johnson’s Facebook page said: “Our greatness passed away this morning at 9am the house music legend we all know as PJ aka Paul Johnson.” 

Born and raised in Chicago, Johnson began his musical career as a breakdancer, before segwaying into DJing and producing house music in 1984. Finding inspiration in ‘80s house figureheads like Ron Hardy, he later went on to produce tracks for seminal labels including Dance Mania, Djax Up Beats and Moody.

Johnson is best known for his hit 1999 single ‘Get Get Down’, which reached number 5 in the UK Singles chart and number 1 on the Billboard dance chart. The track has since been remixed and reinterpreted extensively, with reworks by artists including Merk & Kremont and Laidback Luke.

Despite scoring the hit in 1999, Johnson was a respected DJ and artist prior to ‘Get Get Down’, releasing many singles, EPs and albums since 1992 – including club classics ‘Stop Trippin’, ‘Just Whistle’ and ‘The Music In Me’. Daft Punk named him as an influence on their 1997 track ‘Teachers’, whose lyrics contain a roll-call of their heroes. 

Johnson was a double amputee, having injured his left leg in a 1987 shooting. The shooting put him in a wheelchair, and later led to the leg being amputated in 2003. A subsequent car accident in 2010, which left his spine and hip broken, also led to right leg being amputated.

In 2014, Johnson spoke of his injuries and career: “The crappy life I’ve had health wise, that’s been nothing, man. That’s just been a shadow to what I’ve been doing, I don’t even see it, nobody sees it. It’s all about the music.” 

Many of Johnson’s friends, contemporaries and labels have paid the aritst tribute, with support and reminiscences coming from Kaytranada, RP Boo, Mike Servito, Jumpin Jack Frost and Defected Records.