Editing Johnnie Johnson (musician)

{{short description|American musician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{use American English|date=February 2024}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2008}}
{{Infobox musical artist 
| name                = Johnnie Johnson
| image               = JohnnieJohnson1996.jpg
| caption             = Johnson at the 1996 Riverwalk Blues Festival
| image_size          = 180px
| background          = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name          = Johnnie Clyde Johnson
| alias               = 
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1924|07|08}}
| birth_place         = [[Fairmont, West Virginia]], U.S.
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|2005|4|13|1924|7|8}}
| death_place         = [[St. Louis]], Missouri, U.S.
| instrument          = Piano
| genre               = {{hlist|Blues|rock and roll|jazz}}
| occupation          = {{hlist|Musician|songwriter}}
| years_active        = 1952–2005
| label               = [[Chess Records|Chess]]
| website             = 
}}

'''Johnnie Clyde Johnson''' (July 8, 1924 – April 13, 2005)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/johnnie-johnson |title=Johnnie Johnson |date=2018-05-23 |website=[[encyclopedia.com]] |access-date=2024-02-27|quote=Johnnie Clyde Johnson was born on July 8, 1924, in Fairmont, West Virginia.}}</ref><ref name="nyt obit">{{cite news |last=Ratliff |first=Ben |title=Johnnie Johnson, 80, Dies; Inspired 'Johnny B. Goode' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/14/arts/music/johnnie-johnson-80-dies-inspired-johnny-b-goode.html |work=The New York Times |date=April 14, 2005}}</ref> was an American pianist who played [[jazz]], [[blues]], and [[rock and roll]]. His work with [[Chuck Berry]] led to his induction into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]. He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for breaking racial barriers in the military as a [[Montford Point Marine Association|Montford Point Marine]], where he endured racism and inspired social change while integrating the previously all-white Marine Corps during World War II.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.stripes.com/news/us/marine-and-bluesman-johnnie-johnson-posthumously-awarded-congressional-gold-medal-1.441628|title=Marine and bluesman Johnnie Johnson posthumously awarded Congressional Gold Medal|newspaper=Stars and Stripes|access-date=2016-11-29|last=McDermott|first=Kevin|archive-date=March 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321123539/https://www.stripes.com/news/us/marine-and-bluesman-johnnie-johnson-posthumously-awarded-congressional-gold-medal-1.441628|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Career==
Johnson was born in [[Fairmont, West Virginia]], United States.<ref name="nyt obit"/> He began playing the piano in 1928.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Johnnie Johnson|last=Fricke|first=David|date=May 5, 2005|magazine=Rolling Stone|pages=26}}</ref> During [[World War II]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Zolten |first=Jerry |date=2003 |title=Movin' the Mountains: An Overview of Rhythm and Blues and Its Presence in Appalachia |journal=Black Music Research Journal |volume=23 |issue=1/2 |pages=67–89 |doi=10.2307/3593209 |jstor=3593209}}</ref> he joined the [[United States Marine Corps]] and became a member of [[Bobby Troup]]'s all-serviceman [[jazz]] orchestra: the Barracudas. After his service, Johnson moved to Detroit and then Chicago, where he sat in with many notable artists, including [[Muddy Waters]] and [[Little Walter]].

Johnson moved to [[St. Louis, Missouri]] in 1952; he immediately assembled a jazz and blues group called the Sir John Trio<ref name="LarkinBlues">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Who's Who of Blues]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1995|edition=Second|isbn=0-85112-673-1|page=203}}</ref> with the drummer Ebby Hardy and the saxophonist Alvin Bennett. The three had a regular engagement at the Cosmopolitan Club in East St. Louis. On New Year's Eve 1952, Bennett suffered a stroke and could not perform. While searching for a last-minute replacement, Johnson called a young man named Chuck Berry. Berry was the only musician he knew who, because of his inexperience, would likely not be playing on New Year's Eve. Although Berry was hired as a limited guitarist, he added vocals and [[Showmanship (performing)|showmanship]] to the group and soon became a permanent member of the [[trio (music)|trio]].<ref name="LarkinBlues"/>

Berry took one of their tunes, a [[cover version|reworking]] of [[Bob Wills]]'s version of "[[Ida Red (song)|Ida Red]]", to [[Chess Records]] in 1955. The Chess brothers liked the song. Soon, the trio were in Chicago [[sound recording and reproduction|recording]] "[[Maybellene]]" and "[[Wee Wee Hours]]" – a song Johnson played as an [[instrumental]] for years before Berry wrote some accompanying [[lyrics]].<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> The same year, "[[Maybellene]]" got Berry and Johnson onto the Billboard charts. <ref name=":0" /> Berry was soon signed as a solo act while Johnson and Hardy became part of Berry's band.<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> "I figured we could get better jobs with Chuck running the band," said Johnson. "He had a car and rubber wheels beat rubber heels any day."

Over the next twenty years, the two collaborated on many of Berry's songs, including "[[School Days (Chuck Berry song)|School Days]]", "[[Roll Over Beethoven]]", "[[Carol (Chuck Berry song)|Carol]]", and "[[Nadine (song)|Nadine]]".<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> The song "[[Johnny B. Goode]]" was reportedly a tribute to Johnson's<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> behavior when he was drinking.

Berry and Johnson played and toured together on and off, until 1973.<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> Although never on his payroll after 1973, Johnson played occasionally with Berry, until he sued Berry over songwriting credits and royalties.

Johnson was known to have a serious drinking problem. In Berry's autobiography, he wrote that he had declared there would be no drinking in the car while the band was on the road. Johnson and his bandmates complied with the request by putting their heads out the window. Johnson denied the story but said he did drink on the road. Johnson quit drinking in 1991, after nearly suffering a stroke on stage with [[Eric Clapton]].

Aside from songwriting and performing with Berry, Johnson made many significant contributions to blues and rock and roll. Johnson was the leader of [[Albert King]]'s rhythm section during King's most prolific and musically significant period.<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> Johnson also served as one of the cornerstones of the St. Louis blues scene. In the early and mid 1980s he was a member of The Sounds of The City, with vocalist [[Larry Thurston]], bassist Gus Thornton, and guitarist Tom Maloney. Johnson performed all over St. Louis with [[Tommy Bankhead]], [[Oliver Sain]], and many significant blues artists throughout their lives.

Johnson received little recognition until the Chuck Berry concert documentary, ''[[Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll]]'', was released in 1987.<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> The experience forged a permanent bond between him, [[Keith Richards]], [[Eric Clapton]], and [[Steve Jordan (drummer)|Steve Jordan]]. Although Johnson had been supporting himself as a bus driver in St. Louis, the exposure and experience of the film helped him return to headlining.

He recorded his first solo album, ''Blue Hand Johnnie'', that year.<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> Having worked steadily in St. Louis, Johnson returned to performing all over the world. He performed with the [[Kentucky Headhunters]] on occasion and was featured in both the "[[Dumas Walker]]" and "Walk Softly on This Heart of Mine" videos. Eric Clapton hired him as a featured artist for his annual Royal Albert Hall blues shows. Keith Richards employed Johnson in the [[Xpensive Winos]], and Johnson played piano on Richards' debut solo album, ''[[Talk Is Cheap]]'' (1988).<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> Johnson toured worldwide as a solo artist, and released records produced by Keith Richards, Jimmy Vivino, and [[Al Kooper]]. He later performed with Richards, Clapton, [[Buddy Guy]], [[John Lee Hooker]], [[Bo Diddley]], and [[George Thorogood]] on Thorogood's 1995 live album, ''[[Live: Let's Work Together]]''. In 1996 and 1997, Johnson toured with [[Bob Weir]]'s band, [[Ratdog]], playing 67 shows.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ratdog.org/band/|title=Bob Weir & RatDog Band Members|work=RatDog.Org – Bob Weir and RatDog|access-date=January 20, 2015}}</ref> In 1997, Johnson, Raymond Cantrell, and Stevie Lee Dodge composed the St. Charles Blues Trio.

In 1998, Johnson told Doug Donnelly of ''Monroenews.com'' that "Johnny B. Goode" was a tribute to Johnson himself. "I played no part in nothing of 'Johnny B. Goode,'" Johnson said. "On other songs, Chuck and I worked together, but not that one. We were playing one night, I think it was Chicago, and he played it. Afterward, he told me it was a tribute to me. He did it on his own. I didn't know nothing about it. It was never discussed."

A biography of Johnson, ''Father of Rock and Roll: The Story of Johnnie B. Goode Johnson'', by Travis Fitzpatrick, was published in 1999. The book was entered into the annual [[Pulitzer Prize]] competition by Congressman [[John Conyers]] and garnered Johnson more recognition.

Johnson received a Pioneer Award from the [[Rhythm and Blues Foundation]] in 2000.

Johnson's final album, ''Johnnie Be Eighty. And Still Bad!'', was recorded in St. Louis in late 2004, consisting of all original songs written with the producer, Jeff Alexander, which was a first for Johnson. The album was released the same week he died in April 2005, and contains the biographical "Beach Weather" and "Lucky Four".

In 2005, he played piano on [[Styx (band)|Styx]]'s re-recording of "Blue Collar Man", entitled "Blue Collar Man @ 2120", for their album ''[[Big Bang Theory (Styx album)|Big Bang Theory]]''. It was recorded at Chess Studios, on the 46th anniversary of the recording of "Johnnie B. Goode" at the same studio.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.styxtoury.com/archives/styxworld-2004/notes/2004/040426/040426.htm |title=STYX: Notes from the Band Archive 4-26-04 |publisher=Styxtoury.com |access-date=2013-02-15}}</ref>

Johnson died at the age of 80 from a kidney ailment and [[pneumonia]] in St. Louis on April 13, 2005.<ref name="nyt obit"/> He was interred in the [[Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery]].

==Legacy==
In November 2000, Johnson sued Chuck Berry, alleging he deserved co-composer credits (and [[royalties]]) for dozens of songs, including "No Particular Place to Go," "[[Sweet Little Sixteen]]", and "Roll Over Beethoven," which credit Berry alone. The case was eventually dismissed, because too many years had passed since the songs in dispute were written.

In 2001, he was inducted into the [[List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees|Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]], in the category "Sidemen," after a campaign by the businessman George Turek, Johnson's biographer Travis Fitzpatrick, and the guitarist Keith Richards of the [[The Rolling Stones|Rolling Stones]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/johnnie-johnson|title=Johnnie Johnson|last=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|publisher=rockhall.com|access-date=January 16, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Johnny B Good takes his revenge|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/mar/04/theobserver|newspaper=The Guardian|date=March 4, 2001|access-date=January 16, 2001}}</ref>

Johnson has a star on the [[St. Louis Walk of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/?view=achievement|title=St. Louis Walk of Fame Inductees|last=St. Louis Walk of Fame|publisher=stlouiswalkoffame.org|access-date=April 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031162946/http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/?view=achievement|archive-date=October 31, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Johnson was the subject of a Homespun Tapes piano instructional video, ''The Blues/Rock Piano of Johnnie Johnson: Sessions with a Keyboard Legend''. Originally released in 1999 (a DVD was issued in 2005), the video is hosted by [[David Bennett Cohen]], along with Johnson's band, featuring  guitarist [[Jimmy Vivino]].

The Johnnie Johnson Blues & Jazz Festival is held annually in [[Fairmont, West Virginia|Fairmont]] West Virginia, only a few blocks from where Johnson was born.

==Discography==
* 1959: ''Organ in Hi-Fi'' [instrumental] (Riviera Records R0044/STR044)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Edwards|first1=David|title=Riviera Album Discographies|url=http://www.bsnpubs.com/modern/riviera.html/|access-date=November 2, 2017|work=Both Sides Now Publications|date=February 24, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405223456/http://www.bsnpubs.com/modern/riviera.html|archive-date=April 5, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 1987: ''Blue Hand Johnnie'' (Evidence Music), with [[Oliver Sain]]
* 1991: ''[[Johnnie B. Bad]]'' ([[Elektra Records|Elektra]]), with [[Eric Clapton]], [[Keith Richards]] and [[Bernard Fowler]]
* 1991: ''Rockin' Eighty-Eights'' (Modern Blues Recordings), with [[Clayton Love]] and Jimmy Vaughan (not to be confused with [[Jimmie Vaughan]] of the [[Fabulous Thunderbirds]])
* 1993: ''[[That'll Work]]'' (Elektra), with the [[The Kentucky Headhunters|Kentucky Headhunters]] and Jimmy Hall
* 1995: ''Johnnie Be Back'' (MusicMasters), with [[Buddy Guy]], [[Al Kooper]], [[John Sebastian]] and [[Max Weinberg]]
* 1997: ''Johnnie B. Live'' (Father of Rock and Roll Music), with Jimmy Vivino and Al Kooper
* 1999: ''Father of Rock and Roll'' (Father of Rock and Roll Music), CD accompanying the book ''Father of Rock and Roll: The Story of Johnnie B. Goode Johnson'', featuring new recordings of Johnson and Berry songs
* 2005: ''Johnnie Be Eighty...And Still Bad!'' (Cousin Moe Music), produced by Jeff Alexander, with Rich McDonough (guitar), Gus Thornton (bass), Joe Pastor (drums), Larry Thurston (vocals) and Victor "Big Daddy" Johnson (vocals)
* 2015: ''[[Meet Me in Bluesland]]'' ([[Alligator Records|Alligator]]), with the Kentucky Headhunters<ref>{{cite news|last1=Allers|first1=Hannahlee|title=Kentucky Headhunters Announce New Album Featuring Legendary Blues Pianist|url=http://theboot.com/kentucky-headhunters-meet-me-in-bluesland/|access-date=May 12, 2015|work=The Boot|date=April 11, 2015}}</ref>

==Singles==
* 1994: "Sunday Blues" <small>(with [[The Kentucky Headhunters]])</small>

==See also==
*[[Music of West Virginia]]
*[[St. Louis blues (music)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Johnnie Johnson (musician)}}
{{wikisource|Honoring Piano Legend Johnnie Johnson}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150715062016/http://rockhall.com/inductees/johnnie-johnson/ Johnnie Johnson]. [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]].
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050527220422/http://www.johnniejohnsonbluesandjazz.com/ Johnnie Johnson Blues & Jazz Society], [[Fairmont, West Virginia]].
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150308164942/http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/johnnie-johnson.html St. Louis Walk of Fame].
* {{Find a Grave|10790793}}

{{RatDog}}
{{2001 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{West Virginia Music Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Johnnie}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:American blues pianists]]
[[Category:American male pianists]]
[[Category:American rock musicians]]
[[Category:African-American pianists]]
[[Category:Chess Records artists]]
[[Category:Music of St. Louis]]
[[Category:People from Fairmont, West Virginia]]
[[Category:Musicians from West Virginia]]
[[Category:St. Louis blues musicians]]
[[Category:Military personnel from West Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Marines]]
[[Category:Blues musicians from West Virginia]]
[[Category:20th-century American pianists]]
[[Category:RatDog members]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Missouri]]
[[Category:Deaths from kidney failure in the United States]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American musicians]]