Gus Johnson

Gus Johnson worked steadily throughout his profession, executing quite ably whether in big rings, combos, swing configurations, or Dixieland. Johnson started playing piano before learning bass and drums. When he was ten in Dallas he began playing professionally on the Lincoln Movie theater in Houston. Various other early careers included dealing with McDavid’s Blue Tempo Guys and Lloyd Hunter. He shifted to Kansas Town after graduating from senior high school, playing drums and occasionally bass having a vocal quartet, the Four Tempo Aces. Johnson worked well in territory rings for a couple of years before learning to be a key person in Jay McShann’s Orchestra in Kansas Town (1938-1943). Over time in the armed service, Johnson experienced stints with Jesse Miller, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Earl Hines, and Cootie Williams. Johnson, who experienced played with Count number Basie for any few weeks in 1948, became a member of Basie’s music group (initially a combo and his fresh orchestra) in past due 1949. Five years later on, Johnson needed to depart because of appendicitis. He quickly came back to music, dealing with Lena Horne, as well as for nine years on / off within Ella Fitzgerald’s trio (beginning in 1957). Furthermore, Johnson was significantly popular for mainstream rings, and over time caused Woody Herman (1959), Buck Clayton, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Gerry Mulligan (1962), Ralph Sutton, back again with Jay McShann, Stan Getz, as well as the World’s Greatest Jazz Music group (beginning in 1969). He was energetic in to the ’80s when he was pressured to retire because of disease. Gus Johnson made an appearance on many information like a sideman but never really had the chance to business lead his own program. On Feb 6, 2000, Johnson passed away in Westminster, CO at age 86.