Johnny Mann and Tom Hammett
Johnny Mann would be at the top of the list of professional musicians of last century. Mann started singing in a boys choir at the age of five and played in the U.S. Army Field Band while serving in the military. He passed away in 2014 while living in Anderson, S.C.
Mr. Mann worked with many of the greats, including Johnny Carson, Joey Bishop, Singer Bobby Vee and band leader Si Zentner. In the early 70s the musician, with his Johnny Mann Singers hosted the National TV series, “Stand up and Cheer.” He was a producer for Liberty records and received two Grammys. He was was the voice of Theodore on the 1958 million selling Christmas recording, “The Chipmunk Song.” Mr. Mann wrote and recorded jingles for radio stations all across the United States.
Broadcasting ICON Luther Masingill said one his favorite versions of the “Chattanooga Choo Choo” was by the Johnny Mann Singers with the Si Zentner big band.
Mr. Mann was close friends with Dr. Tom Hammett of Chattanooga, who directed choirs at First Presbyterian Church, Rivermont Presbyterian Church and Brainerd Presbyterian Church.
In a radio interview with this writer, Mr. Mann said he was most proud of his Christian recording of “Quiet Time,” a collection of his favorite hymns. Dr. Hammett brought Mr. Mann by WDYN radio in 2007 to promote that new recording before his leading the Rivermont Presbyterian Church Choir in several anthems.
Click here to listen to a conversation between Johnny Mann and Earl Freudenberg.