Johnnie Johnson
On a fateful day in early 1956, Johnnie Johnson and Chuck Berry
headed to Chicago for their fourth recording session at Chess Records!
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.
A short list of the musicians he performed with over the years includes Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Bonnie Raitt, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Howlin' Wolf, Albert Collins, Johnny Lee Hooker, Little Milton, Albert King, Little Walter, Memphis Slim, Charlie Musselwhite, the late Jimmy Rogers, the late Roy Rogers and of course, Chuck Berry.
Johnnie Johnson with Buddy Guy and Richard Hunt
Johnnie's story
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“Well, I grew up in West Virginia, place called Fairmont. And I used to listen to the station KDKX out of Pittsburgh that played big band music and I become interested in it then. But I had thought fooling around with piano. My parents bought me a piano when I was at the age of about five or six years-old. And when they moves into the house, I sat down and start messing over it and I struck up a tune that everybody know who I, what I was playing it. At that time it was called “Chopped Sticks”. So I just kept developing and developing until I got where I am today.” – continued, this in-depth interview of Johnnie Johnson by Open Vault
So much has been said about Johnnie Johnson, by so many artists. A short list of the musicians he’s performed with over the years includes Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Bonnie Raitt, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, Albert Collins, Johnny Lee Hooker, Little Milton, Albert King, Little Walter, Memphis Slim, Charlie Musselwhite, the late Jimmy Rogers, the late Roy Rogers and of course, Chuck Berry. Johnnie was also inducted into the Sideman category of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Johnny Lee Hooker, Dick Clark, Little Richard and Bo Diddley are among those who have lent their names to the effort. The co-chairman of the Hall of Fame (and also the co-chairman of Atlantic Records) issued a statement calling Johnson “undoubtedly the best blues pianist in the world today.” – STLBlues.net
On a fateful day in early 1956, Johnnie Johnson and Chuck Berry headed to Chicago for their fourth recording session at Chess Records Their first three efforts had produced the blues-inflected stylings of “Wee Wee Hours,” “No Money Down” and “Downbound Train” and the cut-time country raveups “Maybellene,” “You Can’t Catch Me” and “Thirty Days.” The results had been impressive, jump-starting Berry’s career with four Top Ten R&B hits, one of which, “Maybellene,” enjoyed similar success on the pop chart. Johnnie Johnson’s piano is all over these songs, contributing rollicking high-end boogie-woogie licks that served as the perfect counterpoint to Berry’s souped-up guitar on the uptempo tunes, while on the slow blues, such as “Wee Wee Hours,” Johnson laid down triplet-ridden , soulful responsorial fills and a solo that proved him the equal of any blues pianist then current on the Chicago scene.” – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
“After parting ways with Berry, Johnson led Albert King’s rhythm section during King’s most musically significant period. Johnson was a key player in the St. Louis blues scene in the early- and mid-’80s where he was a member of The Sounds of The City and played with many of the city’s top blues artists. Johnson received little recognition until the release of Hail! Hail! Rock ’n’ Roll, the 1987 concert documentary which celebrated Berry’s 60th birthday” – WV MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES OF 2007
