R&B legend known for iconic song dead at 86

Terry “Buzzy” Johnson, an R&B legend known for his time with the group The Flamingos, has died.

He was 86. No cause of death has been reported.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame posted about Johnson’s death on X.

“Doo-wop legends the Flamingos, including 2001 inductee Terry Johnson, took listeners higher with their sublime harmonies and impeccable arrangements,” the statement read. “With Johnson joining as tenor/lead vocalist, guitarist and arranger in 1958, The Flamingos crafted a sophisticated sound like no other vocal group. They stand as one of the most influential doo-wop groups of all time, and their rendition or the definitive ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’ remain an irresistible expression of yearning.

“In the 1960s, Smokey Robinson recruited Johnson to join the staff at Motown, where he worked with such Hall of Famers as the Temptations, the Four Tops, and the Supremes.”

Johnson was a native of Baltimore, and he went on to form The Whispers in 1954. The group recorded for Gotham Records out of Philadelphia.

He is best known, though, for his work with the Hall of Fame Flamingos. Johnson joined the group in 1958, per Soultracks.com, and he is credited with arranging and co-producing the iconic hit song “I Only Have Eyes for You,” in 1959.

The Flamingo’s cover of “I Only Have Eyes for You” ranked 158 on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” that was first published in 2004.

The group split following its “hit-making years” per Soultracks, but Johnson owned the trademark for the name and toured with his version of The Flamingos well into the 21st century.