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Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
National
Madeline Kenney

Syl Johnson, Grammy-nominated Chicago blues artist, dies at 85

Syl Johnson performs at the Old Town School of Folk Music in 2010. | Sun-Times file

Chicago soul treasure Syl Johnson, known as one of the most sampled artists ever thanks to his track “Different Strokes,” which has been used by a slew of notable hip-hop artists, has died at the age 85.

His family announced the news in a statement Sunday, though they didn’t reveal his cause of death.

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