Johnnie Johnson, RIP. Opened for him at the Palomino in North Hollywood in 1992 and got to jam with him at the gig. His band used all of my bands equipment. One of the greatest boogie woogie pianists ever, and one hell of a nice guy. Those of you who saw the Stones at Reliant Stadium in 2003 saw Johnnie jam with the Stones on a couple of songs. What a wonderful man. http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/13/obit.johnson.ap/index.html Chuck Berry pianist Johnnie Johnson dead Rock hall of famer played on, helped create many hits Wednesday, April 13, 2005 Posted: 1:57 PM EDT (1757 GMT) Johnnie Johnson in 1999. ST. LOUIS, Missouri (AP) -- Johnnie Johnson, a rock 'n' roll pioneer who teamed with Chuck Berry for hits like "Roll Over Beethoven" and "No Particular Place to Go," died Wednesday. He was 80. Johnson died at his St. Louis home. The cause of death was not immediately known, said publicist Margo Lewis. He had been hospitalized a month ago with pneumonia and was on dialysis for a kidney ailment, said John May, a friend and fellow musician. Though he was never a household name, Johnson and Berry's long collaboration helped define early rock 'n' roll. Johnson often composed the music on piano, then Berry converted it to guitar and wrote the lyrics. In fact, Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" was a tribute to Johnson. After he and Berry parted ways, Johnson performed with Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, John Lee Hooker and Bo Diddley, among others. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 in the "sidemen" category. "He left the indelible imprint of his sound," May said. "He was able to transition through any musical style because he just loved to play music." Berry was on a plane returning from a visit to Europe on Wednesday and unavailable for comment, a spokeswoman said. Johnson was born in Fairmont, West Virginia, and began playing piano at 4. He moved to Chicago after World War II, where he played jazz and blues in clubs. He moved to St. Louis in the early 1950s, forming his own R&B band, the Johnnie Johnson Trio. When a band member became ill on New Year's Eve 1952, Johnson hired Berry to fill in. Johnson and Berry parted ways in the early 1970s, and in 2000, Johnson sued Berry, seeking a share of royalties and proper credit for what Johnson said were more than 50 songs the men composed together. A federal judge dismissed the suit in 2002, ruling that too many years had passed since the disputed songs were written. The lawsuit contended that Berry took advantage of Johnson's alcoholism, misleading him into believing that only Berry was entitled to own the copyrights "and reap the monetary benefits." Johnson is survived by his wife and children.
RMTex, have you seen the documentary about Chuck Berry when he was doing that concert with Keith Richards? I wonder if it's the same keyboardist that was playing in that. He was really good. RIP
Man, hate to hear that. I have a Chuck Berry CD with his best known songs and those songs were all classics. JJ played a huge role in that. RIP, +
Wish I could...can't do it at work. Picture of the marquee outside of a record store in University City, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.
One of the more unheralded rock and roll giants to ever play. He kind of got his due in 2001, but the kudos came from the movie you guys are discussing. More people need to see that flick. Keith's reaction when Chuck finally gets the intro to "Carol" right is priceless. If you listen to Chuck, in spite of their animosity, he credits JJ with essentially inventing rock and roll -- and he's right. Ike Turner and Bill Haley were one-shot deals, but Johnson kept churning out what became the blueprint for popular music. Also, if you've ever played along to Chuck's records, and wondered why every song is in C or F or Bb, Johnson is the reason. Long live the Monkey Beat! "In the heat of the day/down in Mobile, Alabama ..."
The man was 80 years old. If he indeed was a drug user, I would have to say that he was a rousing drug success story.
Got an email this morning from the guitar player in my old band out there. He reminded me of the discussion backstage at that gig where Johnnie was explaining to our bass player why he should marry his girlfriend. He was extolling the benefits of marriage, saying if you love her you must marry her, etc. They got married a couple of years later and now have a 3 year old daughter.
Just saw this on CNN.com http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/15/chuckberry.johnson.ap/index.html Chuck Berry on Johnnie Johnson Guitarist remembers pianist who gave him a break Friday, April 15, 2005 Posted: 12:14 PM EDT (1614 GMT) Chuck Berry plays with Johnnie Johnson in 1993. UNIVERSITY CITY, Missouri (AP) -- Rock 'n roll legend Chuck Berry had just returned from a European tour when he learned at Chicago's O'Hare Airport that his longtime friend and collaborator Johnnie Johnson was dead at age 80. Late Wednesday, he went directly to Blueberry Hill nightclub in this St. Louis suburb, where Berry and Johnson had played together as recently as a year ago, to remember "the man with a dynamite right hand" with whom he shared a half-century of music and memories. A master of boogie-woogie, Johnson was "my piano player who no one else has come near," said Berry, 78, still spry and dapper in a royal blue shirt, a silver bolo tie, pleated charcoal slacks and mariner's cap. Through 50-plus years of riffs and syncopation, late-night jams -- and later a painful lawsuit -- Berry and Johnson only grew in their mutual admiration and respect. "Johnnie and I have always been friends," said Berry, who teamed with Johnson for hits like "Roll Over Beethoven" and "No Particular Place to Go." Johnson died Wednesday at his St. Louis home; the cause of death was not immediately known. Johnson, a self-taught pianist with a low-key persona, never won the fame heaped upon Berry. But he eventually became known as the "Father of Rock 'N' Roll Piano" and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 in the "sidemen" category. Johnson's and Berry's long collaboration helped define early rock 'n' roll and put St. Louis on the music map along with the budding team of Ike and Tina Turner. Each performed at clubs on both sides of the nearby Mississippi River. On New Year's Eve 1952 at The Cosmopolitan in East St. Louis, Illinois, Johnson called Berry to fill in for an ailing saxophonist in his Sir John Trio. The struggling and unknown Berry, who says he was playing more then for enjoyment than money, rushed over. "He gave me a break" and his first commercial gig, for $4, Berry recalled. "I was excited. My best turned into a mess. I stole the group from Johnny." Johnson never held it against him. "Midway through the show, Chuck did a hillbilly country number with a bluesy vein, and it knocked people out," said Blueberry Hill club owner Joe Edwards, a friend of both men. Johnson later recalled Berry had a car that allowed them to travel to more distant clubs -- the Blue Flame, Blue Note and Club Imperial. Berry played so well he became front man for the band, which took his name. Their long partnership, forged in the '50s, would run steadily for another 20 years. They still performed occasionally in the 1980s and '90s. Edwards said their collaboration formed the bricks of rock 'n roll, and that the two stirred hillbilly and blues in one pot to create a unique sound. Johnson often composed the music on piano, then Berry converted it to guitar and wrote the lyrics. Berry's "Johnny B. Goode," was a tribute to Johnson. After he and Berry parted ways, Johnson performed with Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, John Lee Hooker and Bo Diddley, among others. Still, there were rough spots in the pair's collaboration. In 2000, Johnson sued Berry over royalties and credit he believed he was due for the songs they composed together. The lawsuit was dismissed two years later. Berry said he always wondered who was behind the lawsuit, because "Johnnie would never initiate a complaint such as that. Johnnie would never have waited 40 years to sue." Berry said he would perform a tribute concert in Johnson's honor, ideally at downtown St. Louis's roughly 70,000-seat Edward Jones Dome. "We'll fill that sucker," he said. Though Berry said he'll miss his friend and his music, he's not melancholy. "My turn is coming very soon," he said. "Would you shed a tear for Chuck? I hope not, because I don't see why one should weep when something inevitable must come. "At 78, I'm glad to be anywhere, anytime."
