Bob Johnson, Elvis Presley Songwriter passed away Friday Aug. 14

Songwriter and producer Bob Johnson passed on Friday Aug. 14 while in hospice care in Nashville. Johnston wrote at least 16 songs for Elvis Presley's films between 1964 and 1968, including 'It Hurts Me', 'Let Yourself Go' and 'Stop, Look and Listen'. Two songs credited to Joy Byers, the aforementioned 'Stop, Look and Listen' and 'Yeah, She's Evil!' were recorded by Bill Haley & His Comets (the latter song was titled 'The Meanest Girl in Town' when Elvis recorded it). Elvis Presley recorded 'The Meanest Girl in Town' on June 10, 1964, while Bill Haley recorded his version a week later, on June 16, 1964.

Johnston also produced iconic albums from Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen and others.

Johnston got his start by writing songs for Elvis Presley and Bill Haley & His Comets. He later became a producer at Columbia Records, at which time he embarked on his creative partnership with Dylan, first producing 1965's Highway 61 Revisited. He went on to famously produce Blonde on Blonde, followed by 1967's John Wesley Harding, 1969's Nashville Skyline, 1970's Self Portrait and New Morning. It was on Nashville Skyline that Dylan opened 'To Be Alone With You' by asking Johnston, 'Is it rolling, Bob?'

Johnston also served as producer on Johnny Cash's prison albums, At Folsom Prison and At San Quentin; Simon & Garfunkel's Sounds of Silence and Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme; and Leonard Cohen's Songs From a Room and Songs of Love and Hate. He also worked with the Byrds, Loudon Wainwright III, the Waterboys, Willie Nelson and many more. In later years Bob Johnston claimed that songs still credited to his wife Joy Byers were actually co-written, or solely written by himself. He has cited old 'contractual reasons' for this situation.

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