Lem Johnson
Lemuel Charles "Lem" Johnson (August 6, 1909 – April 1, 1989) was an American jazz saxophonist who played both tenor and soprano saxophones. Johnson was born in Oklahoma City. He played clarinet in local ensembles in the 1920s and picked up saxophone in 1928, playing with Walter Page's Blue Devils. Early in the 1930s he played in the band of Grant Moore (1931–35) in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, and then worked with Eli Rice and Earl Hines. In 1937 he moved to New York, where he played with Fess Williams, Luis Russell and Louis Jordan, and joined Skeets Tolbert's band in 1939. In Tolbert's group Johnson sang in addition to playing sax. He recorded with Buster Harding, Eddie Durham, Edgar Hayes, Sidney Bechet, Claude Hopkins, St. Louis Jimmy, Sam "The Man" Taylor and Sammy Price, and also cut some sessions as a leader, which have subsequently been released on compact disc. He also recorded with Johnny Long and his Orchestra on Coral Records (9-61478). After the 1940s he went into semi-retirement and occasionally played into the 1960s. Johnson died in New York City. |
Birth and Death Data: Born August 6, 1909 (Oklahoma City), Died April 1, 1989
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1955
Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor saxophone, vocalist, clarinet, saxophone
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-44 of 44 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decca | 67102 | 10-in. | 1/24/1940 | Hole holy roly - poly | Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 67103 | 10-in. | 1/24/1940 | Raz-ma-taz | Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 67104 | 10-in. | 1/24/1940 | Harlem ain't what it usta be | Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 68336 | 10-in. | 11/11/1940 | I want a little girl | Eddie Durham and his Band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 68337 | 10-in. | 11/11/1940 | Moten's swing | Eddie Durham and his Band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 68338 | 10-in. | 11/11/1940 | Fare Thee honey, fare Thee well | Eddie Durham and his Band | vocalist, instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 68339 | 10-in. | 11/11/1940 | Magic carpet | Eddie Durham and his Band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 68457 | 10-in. | 12/6/1940 | Thinking | Sam Price and his Texas Bluesicians | instrumentalist, clarinet | ||
Decca | 68458 | 10-in. | 12/6/1940 | Queen Street blues | Lem Johnson ; Sam Price and his Texas Bluesicians | vocalist, instrumentalist, clarinet | ||
Decca | 68459 | 10-in. | 12/6/1940 | Jumpin' the boogie | Sam Price and his Texas Bluesicians | instrumentalist, clarinet | ||
Decca | 68460 | 10-in. | 12/6/1940 | Louise Louise | Lem Johnson ; Sam Price and his Texas Bluesicians | vocalist, instrumentalist, clarinet | ||
Decca | 70760 | 10-in. | 5/19/1942 | Going down slow | Lem Johnson | vocalist | ||
Decca | 70761 | 10-in. | 5/19/1942 | Candy blues | Lem Johnson | vocalist | ||
Decca | 84481 | 5/11/1953 | I wanna know | Johnny Long Orchestra | vocalist | |||
Decca | 84482 | 5/11/1953 | Till the moon turns green | Johnny Long Orchestra | vocalist | |||
Decca | 84483 | 5/11/1953 | The girl that I marry | Johnny Long Orchestra | vocalist | |||
Decca | 86590 | 7/19/1954 | Sally May | Johnny Long Orchestra | vocalist | |||
Decca | 86591 | 7/19/1954 | Say hey Willie Mays | Johnny Long Orchestra | vocalist | |||
Decca | 88386 | 7/14/1955 | Maybellene | Johnny Long Orchestra | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Lem," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/108316.
Johnson, Lem. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/108316.
"Johnson, Lem." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Johnson, Lem - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no00002620
Wikidata: Lem Johnson - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6520977
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/37104153
MusicBrainz: Lem Johnson - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6a443ed7-2653-47e7-b90a-3fe0c1f25f9a
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