Johnny Williams

Johnny Williams played bass with such swing-era music artists as Coleman Hawkins, Billie Vacation, Teddy Wilson, Johnny Hodges, and Tabs Smith, amongst others. Williams analyzed violin in his youngsters, before switching to tuba. He performed inside a marching music group with the Palace Theatre in Memphis. Williams after that relocated to Atlanta using the purpose of attending university. Rather, he became a specialist musician, taking on the dual bass and becoming a member of the Graham Jackson Orchestra in 1930. In the first ’30s, he performed in territory rings and with pianist Billy Kyle in Philadelphia and vocalist Tiny Bradshaw in Baltimore. He relocated to NY in 1936 and caused Lucky Millinder’s Mills Blue Tempo Music group. He also used pianist/bandleader Claude Hopkins, after that became a member of saxophonist Benny Carter’s music group around 1937. Immediately after, Williams documented the to begin many edges with Holiday, and in addition caused trumpeter Frankie Newton and tenor saxophonist Hawkins. He remaining Hawkins and became a member of Louis Armstrong, sticking to the trumpeter until 1942 and dealing with him sometimes thereafter. Williams caused pianist Wilson from 1943-1944 and clarinetist Edmond Hall from 1944-1947. He also used saxophonist Tabs Smith for 3 years starting around 1948, and saxophonist Hodges from around 1952 until 1955, before departing the street in 1956. He performed freelance around NY in the first ’60s, sometimes playing electrical bass. In 1968, Williams toured European countries with saxophonist Pal Tate, and in the ’70s caused pianist/vocalist Crimson Richards. Through the ’70s, he also performed traditional jazz within a Jelly Move Morton tribute music group using the pianist/bandleader Bob Greene, and with the Harlem Blues & Jazz Music group. Williams shouldn’t to be baffled with his modern, the saxophonist Johnny “Bearcat” Williams, who was simply also blessed in Memphis and wedded to pianist Mary Lou Williams.