Ray Johnson (musician)

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Raymond Johnson (born April 30, 1930 in New Orleans , † March 16, 2013 in Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) ) was an American rhythm and blues pianist, organist and singer. With his brother Plas Johnson he played as Johnson Brothers in the 1950s .

The Johnsons come from a musical Creole family from New Orleans. Father Plas Johnson Sr. played the saxophone, guitar and banjo. The sister Gwen Johnson was able to release some R&B songs at Peacock Records . Ray's brother Plas Jr. became a famous saxophonist and cousin Renald Richard became a songwriter.

The brothers went to school together in Thibodaux and then studied at Dillard University . Ray first played saxophone and drums, but switched to piano when Ernie Stovall booked the brothers for his clubs as Johnson Brothers. In the late 1940s, the combo was heard in many clubs in and around New Orleans. Paul Gayten first recorded it in 1949 for DeLuxe Records . Johnson named Ray Charles , Nat King Cole and especially Charles Brown as his role models. With the latter, Plas Jr. was finally able to hire, so that the Johnson Brothers Combo broke up.

After serving in the Army, Ray returned to New Orleans on short notice and recorded two singles for Mercury Records in 1953 . In 1954 he followed his brother to Los Angeles , where he became a sought-after session musician. He played the piano on the Doo-Wop classic A Casual Look by the Six Teens and was also able to release two singles under his own name for Flip Records . He worked with Earl Palmer for Aladdin Records , where he was able to make recordings himself, as well as at Dot Records , Glam Records , Liberty Records , RCA Records , Imperial Records , Infinity Records and Acclaim Records . Here he also switched to the electric organ or the keyboards again and again.

In 1959 he became the session pianist on the most important recordings of Ricky Nelson . He also played on albums by Bobby Darin , Nat King Cole, Canned Heat , T-Bone Walker and The Routers . He was also used in television shows, including Johnny Otis ' show. His piano playing was particularly popular in Japan, where he toured several times. In 2000 he recorded the album Ray Johnson Bluz for Goad Records .

Discography

  • 1953 - House of Blues / I'll Never Let You Go , Mercury 70203
  • 1955 - Ghost Town / Hop Scotch , Flip 308
  • 1955 - Longing / Wanna Wanna Wanna Wanna , Flip 310
  • 1956 - Love a la Mode / The Bystanders: No Stone Unturned , Dot 15512
  • 1957 If You Don't Want Me Baby / Calypso Joe , Aladdin 3367
  • 1957 - Are You There / Calypso Blues , Aladdin 3392
  • 1958 - Dizzy, Baby, Dizzy / Can't Stop Loving You , Liberty 55135
  • 1963 - Soul City / Kinda Groovy , Infinity INX-024
  • 19 ?? - After Hours / Castanet Senorita , Acclaim 1001
  • 2000 - Ray Johnson Bluz , Goad

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Ray Johnson in the Find a Grave database . Retrieved September 4, 2017.
personal data
SURNAME Johnson, Ray
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Johnson, Raymond (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American R&B musician
DATE OF BIRTH April 30, 1930
PLACE OF BIRTH New Orleans
DATE OF DEATH March 16, 2013
Place of death Woodland Hills (Los Angeles)