ALBERT AMMONS

Albert Ammons (1907-1949) was an American boogie-woogie pianist. Ammons formed his own band in 1934, and in 1938 performed in the Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall, which among other achievements launched the boogie-woogie craze. He and two other performers at the concert, Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson, became the leading boogie-woogie pianists of the day. The three worked together at Café Society and also toured and recorded as a trio. His biggest hit was "Swanee River Boogie". Ammons played the melody of "Old Folks at Home" over a boogie woogie bass. The recording was used as a theme song by pioneer rhythm and blues disk jockey Gene Nobles on WLAC radion in the 1950s. He worked steadily till his death in 1949; he played at Harry S. Truman's inauguration that year. He is the father of tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons. Ammons has had wide influence on countless read more...