PETE JOHNSON

Peter (Pete) Johnson (March 25, 1904 - March 23, 1967) was an American jazz and especially boogie-woogie pianist. Pete Johnson was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He died in Meyer Hospital, Buffalo, NY. He began his musical career in 1922 as a drummer in Kansas City, Missouri. From 1926 to 1938 he worked as a pianist, often accompanying Big Joe Turner. In 1938 he and Turner appeared in the From Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall. This concert started a boogie-woogie craze, and Turner and two other performers at the concert, Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons, worked together afterwards at Café Society for a long time; they also toured and recorded together. The song, "Roll 'em, Pete", featuring Turner on vocals and Johnson on piano, was one of the first rock and roll records. Another self-referential title was their "Johnson And Turner Blues". In 1949, he also wrote read more...