associated_acts years_active label instrument genre article_title occupation
the velvets 1959 & ndash ; 2008 monument records vocals rock , pop virgil johnson -lrb- singer -rrb-
 singer deejay retired educator in lubbock , texas
virgil johnson -lrb- singer -rrb-

virgil lewis johnson -lrb- december 29 , 1935 february 24 , 2013 -rrb- was an 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 -lrb- could be the night -rrb- '' , 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 .
kdav calls itself `` the buddy holly station '' , and johnson during his tenure there was known as `` v.j. the d.j. '' prior to his retirement from kdav , johnson broadcast on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. kdav is heard through the internet .
the station plays primarily rock and roll songs from the 1950s , the 1960s , and -- recently -- the first half of the 1970s .
