John Maurice Hartman (July 3, 1923 – September 15, 1983) was an American ja… Read Full Bio ↴John Maurice Hartman (July 3, 1923 – September 15, 1983) was an American jazz singer who specialized in ballads and earned critical acclaim, though he was never widely known. He recorded a well-known collaboration with the saxophonist John Coltrane in 1963 called John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, and was briefly a member of Dizzy Gillespie's group and recorded with Erroll Garner. Most of Hartman's career was spent recording solo albums.
Born in Louisiana, but raised in Chicago, Hartman began singing and playing the piano by the age of eight. He attended DuSable High School studying music under Walter Dyett before receiving a scholarship to Chicago Musical College. He sang as an Army private during World War II, but his first professional work came in September 1946 when he won a singing contest awarding him a one-week engagement with Earl Hines. Seeing potential in the singer, Hines hired him for the next year. Although Hartman’s first recordings were with Marl Young in February 1947, it was the collaboration with Hines that provided notable exposure. After the Hines orchestra broke up, Dizzy Gillespie invited Hartman to join his big band in 1948 during an eight-week tour in California. Dropped from the band about one year later, Hartman worked for a short time with pianist Erroll Garner before going solo by early 1950.
After recording several singles with different orchestras, Hartman finally released his first solo album, Songs from the Heart, with a quintet for Bethlehem Records in 1955. Releasing two more albums with small labels, neither very successful, Hartman got a career-altering offer in 1963 to record with John Coltrane. The saxophonist likely remembered Hartman from a bill they shared at the Apollo Theater in 1950 and later said, “I just felt something about him, I don’t know what it was. I like his sound, I thought there was something there I had to hear so I looked him up and did that album.” Featuring all ballads, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman is widely considered a classic. This led to recording four more albums with Impulse! and parent label ABC, all produced by Bob Thiele.
With the 1970s being difficult for singers clinging to the pre-rock American songbook, Hartman turned to playing cocktail lounges in New York City and Chicago. Recording again with small labels such as Perception and Musicor, Hartman produced music of mixed quality as he attempted to be viewed as a more versatile vocalist. Referring to his approach to interpreting a song, Hartman said, “Well, to me a lyric is a story, almost like talking, telling somebody a story, try to make it believable.” Returning to the jazz combo format of his earlier albums, Hartman recorded Once in Every Life for Bee Hive, earning him a 1981 Grammy nomination for Best Male Jazz Vocalist. This was quickly followed up by his last album of newly recorded material titled This One’s for Tedi as a tribute to his wife Theodora. His first kid is Jani, Jani Hartman the famous jazz singer, who became famous with the song 'Bad'.
Hartman recorded new tracks for Grenadilla Records on their jazz label – Grapevine. These were dance tracks of Beyond the Sea and Caravan with Caravan also having an extended 6-minute version.
In the early 1980s Hartman gave several performances for jazz festivals, television, and radio before succumbing to lung cancer at the age of sixty. His reputation grew considerably in 1995 when the soundtrack to Clint Eastwood’s Bridges of Madison County (1995) featured seven songs from the then out-of-print Bee Hive album.
Hartman's first biography, The Last Balladeer: The Johnny Hartman Story, by Dr. Gregg Akkerman, was released in June 2012 by Scarecrow Press as part of their "Studies in Jazz" series.
(2) Though he was never the most distinctive vocalist, Johnny Hartman rose above others to become the most commanding, smooth balladeer of the 1950s and '60s, a black crooner closely following Billy Eckstine and building on the form with his notable jazz collaborations, including the 1963 masterpiece John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. Born in Chicago, he began singing early on and performed while in Special Services in the Army. Hartman studied music while at college and made his professional debut in the mid-'40s, performing with Earl Hines and recording his first sides for Regent/Savoy. After Hines' band broke up later in 1947, Hartman moved to the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band and stayed for two years, recording a few additional sides for Mercury as well.
Johnny Hartman's first proper LP came in 1956 with Songs from the Heart, recorded for Bethlehem and featuring a quartet led by trumpeter Howard McGhee. He recorded a second (All of Me) later that year, but then was virtually off-record until 1963, when his duet album John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman appeared on Impulse. A beautiful set of ballad standards, including top-flight renditions of "Lush Life" and "My One and Only Love," the album sparked a flurry of activity for Hartman, including two more albums for Impulse: 1963's I Just Dropped by to Say Hello and the following year's The Voice That Is. During the late '60s and early '70s, he recorded a range of jazz and pop standards albums for ABC, Perception, and Blue Note. Hartman recorded sparingly during the 1970s, but returned with two albums recorded in 1980, one of which (Once in Every Life) earned a Grammy nomination just two years before his death in 1983. ~ John Bush, Rovi
Born in Louisiana, but raised in Chicago, Hartman began singing and playing the piano by the age of eight. He attended DuSable High School studying music under Walter Dyett before receiving a scholarship to Chicago Musical College. He sang as an Army private during World War II, but his first professional work came in September 1946 when he won a singing contest awarding him a one-week engagement with Earl Hines. Seeing potential in the singer, Hines hired him for the next year. Although Hartman’s first recordings were with Marl Young in February 1947, it was the collaboration with Hines that provided notable exposure. After the Hines orchestra broke up, Dizzy Gillespie invited Hartman to join his big band in 1948 during an eight-week tour in California. Dropped from the band about one year later, Hartman worked for a short time with pianist Erroll Garner before going solo by early 1950.
After recording several singles with different orchestras, Hartman finally released his first solo album, Songs from the Heart, with a quintet for Bethlehem Records in 1955. Releasing two more albums with small labels, neither very successful, Hartman got a career-altering offer in 1963 to record with John Coltrane. The saxophonist likely remembered Hartman from a bill they shared at the Apollo Theater in 1950 and later said, “I just felt something about him, I don’t know what it was. I like his sound, I thought there was something there I had to hear so I looked him up and did that album.” Featuring all ballads, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman is widely considered a classic. This led to recording four more albums with Impulse! and parent label ABC, all produced by Bob Thiele.
With the 1970s being difficult for singers clinging to the pre-rock American songbook, Hartman turned to playing cocktail lounges in New York City and Chicago. Recording again with small labels such as Perception and Musicor, Hartman produced music of mixed quality as he attempted to be viewed as a more versatile vocalist. Referring to his approach to interpreting a song, Hartman said, “Well, to me a lyric is a story, almost like talking, telling somebody a story, try to make it believable.” Returning to the jazz combo format of his earlier albums, Hartman recorded Once in Every Life for Bee Hive, earning him a 1981 Grammy nomination for Best Male Jazz Vocalist. This was quickly followed up by his last album of newly recorded material titled This One’s for Tedi as a tribute to his wife Theodora. His first kid is Jani, Jani Hartman the famous jazz singer, who became famous with the song 'Bad'.
Hartman recorded new tracks for Grenadilla Records on their jazz label – Grapevine. These were dance tracks of Beyond the Sea and Caravan with Caravan also having an extended 6-minute version.
In the early 1980s Hartman gave several performances for jazz festivals, television, and radio before succumbing to lung cancer at the age of sixty. His reputation grew considerably in 1995 when the soundtrack to Clint Eastwood’s Bridges of Madison County (1995) featured seven songs from the then out-of-print Bee Hive album.
Hartman's first biography, The Last Balladeer: The Johnny Hartman Story, by Dr. Gregg Akkerman, was released in June 2012 by Scarecrow Press as part of their "Studies in Jazz" series.
(2) Though he was never the most distinctive vocalist, Johnny Hartman rose above others to become the most commanding, smooth balladeer of the 1950s and '60s, a black crooner closely following Billy Eckstine and building on the form with his notable jazz collaborations, including the 1963 masterpiece John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. Born in Chicago, he began singing early on and performed while in Special Services in the Army. Hartman studied music while at college and made his professional debut in the mid-'40s, performing with Earl Hines and recording his first sides for Regent/Savoy. After Hines' band broke up later in 1947, Hartman moved to the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band and stayed for two years, recording a few additional sides for Mercury as well.
Johnny Hartman's first proper LP came in 1956 with Songs from the Heart, recorded for Bethlehem and featuring a quartet led by trumpeter Howard McGhee. He recorded a second (All of Me) later that year, but then was virtually off-record until 1963, when his duet album John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman appeared on Impulse. A beautiful set of ballad standards, including top-flight renditions of "Lush Life" and "My One and Only Love," the album sparked a flurry of activity for Hartman, including two more albums for Impulse: 1963's I Just Dropped by to Say Hello and the following year's The Voice That Is. During the late '60s and early '70s, he recorded a range of jazz and pop standards albums for ABC, Perception, and Blue Note. Hartman recorded sparingly during the 1970s, but returned with two albums recorded in 1980, one of which (Once in Every Life) earned a Grammy nomination just two years before his death in 1983. ~ John Bush, Rovi
It's Easy To Remember
Johnny Hartman Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'It's Easy To Remember' by these artists:
Billie Holiday Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you look…
Billie Holiday & Ray Ellis and his Orchestra Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you lo…
Billie Holiday Feat. Ray Ellis And His Orchestra Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you look…
Billie Holiday with Ray Ellis and His Orchestra Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Billie Holiday(빌리 홀리데이) Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you lo…
Billy Butterfield and His Orchestra Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Bing Crosby Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you look…
Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way…
Bing Crosby and The Rhythmettes Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you look…
Bucky Pizzarelli and Strings Your sweet expression, the smile you gave me, the way…
Cleo Laine Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Cleo Laine & Dudley Moore Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Cleo Laine/Dudley Moore Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Cleo Laine; Dudley Moore Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Dean Martin Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Dinah Shore Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you lo…
Dinah Shore & André Previn Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you look…
Doris Day & Frank De Vol And His Orchestra Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Dorothy Dandridge Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Frank DeVol & His Orchestra Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Frank Sinatra Your sweet expression, the smile you gave me, the way…
Frank Sinatra Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Joe Williams Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you look…
John Pizzarelli Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you lo…
Karrin Allyson Your sweet expression The smile you gave me, The way you loo…
Laura Fygi Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Lew Stone & His Band One, two, One, two, three, four! It don't come easy You kno…
Lew Stone and his Orchestra Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Louis Armstrong Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you lo…
luther henderson & his orchestra Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Mel Tormé Quartet and Trio Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way…
Peggy Lee You said you needed love to warm you in the…
Perry Como Your sweet expression, the smile you gave me, The way…
Perry Como;Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra Your sweet expression, the smile you gave me, The way…
R. Rodgers Yeah, uh Look at what God made, I'm God-like The image of…
R.Rodgers-L.Hart I started most days mind in a mess Walking through heat…
Ray Ellis & His Orchestra & Chorus Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you look…
RDMA Your sweet expression, The smile you gave me, the way you…
Rhythmettes & Three Shades of Blue Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you look…
Robert Farnon & His Orchestra Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Rodgers & Hart I started most days mind in a mess Walking through heat…
Rosemary Clooney Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way…
Sarah Vaughan Your sweet expression, the smile you gave me The way you…
Seth MacFarlane Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you lo…
Shirley Jones Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
The Rhythmettes Your sweet expression The smile you gave me The way you look…
tico de moraes Your sweet expression, The smile you gave me, The way…
Vaughn Monroe Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Vera Lynn Your sweet expression The smile you gave me, The way you loo…
Woody Herman and His Orchestra Your sweet expression the smile you gave me The way you…
Wynton Marsalis It's not that easy bein' green, having to spend each day…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Johnny Hartman:
01. My favorite things Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens Bright copper ket…
A Woman Always Understands He may forget to do The things she like him to But…
After You've Gone Now won't you listen honey, while I say, How could…
Ain't Misbehavin' No one to talk with All by myself No one to walk…
All of Me You took my kisses and you took my love You taught…
Almost Like Being In Love What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm…
Alone Alone, alone with a sky of romance above Alone, alone…
As You Desire Me Let me love you, let me say that I do If…
Biddin' My Time But I'm bidin' my time, Cause that's the kind of guy…
Blue Skies Blue skies smiling at me Nothing but blue skies do I…
But Beautiful Love is funny or it's sad, Or it's quiet or…
Bye Baby Bye Ah, ah Ah, ah Indiscreet, it′s indiscreet To gaze at you, e…
Charade When we played our charade We were like children posing Play…
Dedicated to You If I should write a book for you That brought me…
Didn't We This time we almost made the pieces fit Didn't we? This ti…
Don't Call It Love Don't call it love Let's say we're fond of one another Don't…
Don't You Know I Care Don't you know I care Or don't you care to…
Down In The Depths Manhattan-I'm up a tree The one I've most adored Is bored W…
Easy Come Easy Go Takin' the shade out of the sun Whatever made me think…
Easy Living Living for you is easy living It's easy to live when…
Folks Who Live on the Hill Someday We'll build a home on a hilltop high You and I Shiny…
Fools Rush In "Romance is a game for fools" I used to say A game…
For All We Know For all we know we may never meet again Before you…
For the Good Times Don't look so sad, I know it's over. But life goes…
Girl Talk They like to chat about the dresses they will wear…
Goodbye I remember holdin' on to you All them long and lonely…
Help Me Make It Through The Night Take the ribbon from your hair Shake it loose and let…
how long has this been going on I could cry salty tears Where have I been all…
How Sweet It Is to Be in Love Let's build a stairway to the stars And climb that stairway…
I The very thought of you makes my heart sing Like an…
I Concentrate On You Whenever skies look gray to me And trouble begins to brew, W…
I Could Write a Book A-B-C-D-E-G I never learned to spell At least not well. 1-2…
I Cover The Waterfront I cover the waterfront, I′m watching the sea,, Will the one …
I Fall in Love Too Easily I fall in love too easily, I fall in love…
I Feel Like Crying It's not the pale moon that excites me That thrills…
I Get a Kick Out of You My story is much too sad to be told But practically…
I Just Dropped By To Say Hello Hope my attitude won't bother you, But the day was…
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart I let a song go out of my heart It was…
I See Your Face Before Me I see your face before me Crowding my every dream There is…
I Should Care Don't you know I care Or don't you care to…
I Thought About You I took a trip on a train And I thought about…
I'll Follow You You look at me and wonder, you look at me…
I'll Never Smile Again I'll never smile again Until I smile at you I'll never laugh…
I'll Remember April This lovely day will lengthen into evening We'll sigh goodb…
iÂ’ll never smile again I'll never smile again Until I smile at you I'll never laugh…
If I could show the world how to smile I could be…
If I I could show the world how to smile I could be…
If I'm Lucky If I'm lucky, You will tell me that you care, That we'll…
In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning In the wee small hours of the morning While the whole…
It Never Entered My Mind Once I laughed when I heard you saying That I'd be…
It Was Almost Like A Song Once in every life Someone comes along And you came to me It…
Ill Never Smile Again I'll never smile again Until I smile at you I'll never laugh…
Just You Just Me Just you, just me Let's find a cozy spot To cuddle and…
Let Me Love You Let me love you, let me say that I do If…
Long Ago Long ago and far away I dreamed a dream one day And…
Long Ago & Far Away Long ago and far away I dreamed a dream one day And…
Lush Life I used to visit all the very gay places Those come-what-may…
Mam'Selle It was Montmartre It was midnight Come to think of…
More I See You Each time I look at you Is like the first…
My Favorite Things Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens Bright copper ket…
My Foolish Heart The night is like a lovely tune Beware my foolish heart How…
My Funny Valentine My funny valentine, sweet comic valentine You make me smile …
My One And Only Love The very thought of you makes my heart sing Like an…
My Ship My ship has sails that are made of silk The decks…
Nobody Home The old dirt road still winds by the hill The house…
Old Black Magic Old black magic has me in its spell Old black magic…
On A Clear Day On a clear day, rise and look around you And you'll…
On Green Dolphin Street It seems like a dream, yet I know it happened A…
Once In A While Once in a while will you try to give One little…
Our Love Is Here To Stay It's very clear, our love is here to stay Not for…
Remember This lovely day will lengthen into evening We'll sigh goodby…
Send In The Clowns Isn't it rich? Are we a pair? Me here at last on…
Send in the Crowns Isn't it rich? Are we a pair? Me here at last on…
September In The Rain The leaves of brown came tumbling down Remember in September…
September Song Oh, it's a long long while from May to December But…
Somebody Loves Me Let me love you, let me say that I do If…
Sometime Remind Me to Tell You Sometime remind me to tell you How much you mean to…
Sometimes I'm Happy Every day seems like a year Sweetheart, when you are not…
Stairway to the Stars Let's build a stairway to the stars And climb that stairway…
Summer Wind The summer wind came blowin' in From across the sea It lin…
Summertime Summertime and the livin' is easy Fish are jumpin' and the…
Sunrise Sunset Is this the little girl I carried? Is this the little…
Tenderly You came to me so tenderly And for a day…
That Old Black Magic Old black magic has me in its spell Old black magic…
The Day the World Stopped Turning It was midnight, we were all alone, The day the world…
The End of a Love Affair So I walk a little too fast, and I drive…
The Folks Who Live On The Hill Someday We'll build a home on a hilltop high You and I Shiny…
The Lamp Is Low Dream beside me in the midnight glow, the lamp Is…
The More I See You Each time I look at you Is like the first…
The Nearness Of You It's not the pale moon that excites me That thrills…
The Shadow of Your Smile The shadow of your smile When you have gone Will color all…
The Very Thought Of You The very thought of you And I forget to do…
There Goes My Heart There goes my heart, there goes the one I love There…
There's A Lull In My Life Oh, there's a lull in my life It's just a…
These Foolish Things Oh! Will you never let me be? Oh! Will you never…
They Didn't Believe Me I'm blind-folded on this carriage ride that they call life k…
They Say It's Wonderful They say that falling love is wonderful So wonderful, so the…
Unforgettable Unforgettable That's what you are Unforgettable Tho' near or…
Wave So close your eyes for that's a lovely way to…
What Is There to Say what is there to say and what is there to do the…
Wheel of Fortune The wheel of fortune Goes spinning around Will the arrow poi…
When Your Lover Has Gone When you′re alone Who cares for starlit skies When you're al…
Why Was I Born Spending these lonesome evenings With nothing to do But to l…
You Are Too Beautiful You are too beautiful, my dear, to be true And I…
You Go To My Head You go to my head And you linger like a haunting…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
8papillons
Thank you for posting. He should not be forgotten. A favorite song by a fabulous singer.
Limeyard
How is it possible that I never heard of this wonderful singer in my 71 years. A great voice that should have received more recognition.
Simon Dahlstrom
love his voice and the album he made with john coltrane..
Etaoin Shrdlu
Johnny Hartman and Joe Williams: the greatest baritone voices.
SteveFallon1
That left hand almost pawing at the keys, the strumming sound that is Erroll Garner's signature. With 20+ years of playing on Riverboats, Garner was not a pianist, he was an orchestra. Here, here is accompaniment of Hartman's sentimental vocal sets the tone for a smooth ride down the black current of Ol' Man River.
Steven Garfinkel
In the 1950's he was known in jazz circles. Sid Marks on his nationally popular Jazz radio show ranked him as the best. He was John Coltrane's favorite to record which with says all that needs to be said. Their Coltrane/Hartman album is stunning beyond words.and considered to be a jazz classic. I still have the original vinyl. it is on you tube. My favorite song by him is The Nearness of You followed by The Folks On The Hill. Both are on You Tube which is why This is why I thank You Tube every day
Blair Larkins
As a huge fan of the music of John Coltrane, I became aware of Johnny Hartman through the 1963 LP recorded with Trane. Today is the first time I ever knew that the ballad, It's Easy To Remember, recorded by Trane on the Ballads LP was first done by Johnny Hartman. Few are aware of the earlier connection between these two artists. A young John Coltrane, a decade prior, was given a job working in the band of ... you guessed it, Johnny Hartman. Trane ignored great criticism to record with Hartman.
Noreen Jackson
We do not care for, in general, the singers most commonly admired. Johnny Hartman had an incredible voice and the ballads album he and John Coltrane is a classic rendeing of some of the most wonderful songs from American composers. Thanks for posting my favorite singer of all time along with Sass and Carmen McRae.
KempeyB
Simply excellent
OscarLimaMike
@limeyard He's great isn't he? Discovery only stops when you stop trying. Cheers!