Johnny Wakelin

Emerging from cabaret stages along the Brighton shoreline, singer Johnny Wakelin followed an unusual trajectory that carried him to the summit of the British singles chart. This reserved, mustachioed white performer, whose wry wit complemented his affinity for R&B, reggae, and African rhythms, became one of the more unexpected British contributors to the mid-'70s disco wave. Although his chart entries risked typecasting him as a novelty act, he also delivered several pieces of genuinely compelling rhythm and groove.

Pye Records producer Robin Blanchflower, the same figure who had propelled Carl Douglas to number one with “Kung Fu Fighting,” discovered Wakelin. Working alongside Blanchflower, Steve Elson, and Keith Rossiter, Wakelin began composing material he hoped would “catch people's eye.” His debut single entered the socio-political arena with a salute to boxer Muhammad Ali titled “Black Superman (Muhammad Ali).” Released under the name Johnny Wakelin & the Kinshasa Band, the track appeared in late 1974 and entered the UK chart in January 1975. It eventually climbed to number seven in Britain, reached number one in Australia, and remained on the US charts for six months, buoyed by Ali’s highly publicized return to the ring.

A follow-up single in 1975, “Cream Puff” backed with “Gotta Keep on Going,” failed to chart, yet both tracks were included on Wakelin’s first album, Reggae, Soul & Rock'N'Roll, issued in March 1976. Dropping the Kinshasa Band name, Wakelin revisited Muhammad Ali for his next single, “In Zaire,” which dramatized the “Rumble in the Jungle” and became an even bigger success, peaking at number four in the UK in July 1976. Although it proved to be his final hit, the remainder of the decade remained productive: three further albums—African Man, Double Trouble, and Golden Hour—appeared in quick succession, each accompanied by new singles. These included the 1976 radio favorite “Africa Man,” the 1977 releases “Afro Afrique” and “Doctor Frankenstein's Disco Party,” and “Lay down and Rock Me” in 1978.

Wakelin still writes and performs in England.