Biography

Virgil Lewis Johnson (born December 29, 1935) is a retired African American deejay, formerly at radio station KDAV in Lubbock. He was the lead singer of The Velvets, a 1950s and 1960s vocal quintet from Odessa, also in West Texas. They are best remembered for their 1961 hit "Tonight (Could Be the Night)", which peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard pop charts. The song refers to a young woman waiting to fall in love or perhaps for her intended to propose marriage and present her with a ring of commitment. The Velvets can be heard chanting "doo-wop" as a refrain in a song. Doo wop is considered to have originated in 1955 with The Turbans' "When You Dance". However, the Velvets were a special type of doo-wop group because their sound was highly polished, and the backing usually included stringed instruments.