Gus Johnson
Gus Johnson (November 15, 1913 – February 6, 2000) was an American swing drummer in various jazz bands, born in Tyler, Texas, United States. After learning to play drums from his next-door neighbor, Johnson occasionally played professionally at the age of ten in the Lincoln Theater, and performed in various local groups, most notable McDavid's Blue Rhythm Band. Upon graduating from Booker T. Washington High School, Johnson moved to Kansas City, where he took up drumming full-time. He joined Jay McShann's Orchestra in 1938, with his music career being interrupted by his conscription into the military in 1943. In 1945, Johnson returned from his stint in the military, and relocated to Chicago to perform in the Jesse Miller Band. Johnson played on Willie Dixon's debut album, Willie's Blues. He subsequently played alongside Count Basie, and was recorded on the album, Basie Rides Again, in 1952. Following a recovery from appendicitis, Johnson was featured in numerous groups and dozens of recordings in the 1960s. In 1972, his former bandmates from Jay McShann's Orchestra reconvened to record Going to Kansas City. Although Johnson continued to tour into the 1980s, he developed Alzheimer's disease in 1989, which he struggled with until his death on February 6, 2000. |
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-50 of 93 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decca | 93810 | 10-in. | 11/18/1941 | 'Fore day rider | Jay McShann Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 93811 | 10-in. | 11/18/1941 | So you won't jump | Jay McShann Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 93812 | 10-in. | 11/18/1941 | New confessin' the blues (Confessin' the blues, part 2 De.48008) | Jay McShann Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 93813 | 10-in. | 11/18/1941 | Red River blues | Jay McShann Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 93814 | 10-in. | 11/18/1941 | Baby heart blues | Jay McShann Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 93815 | 10-in. | 11/18/1941 | Cryin' won't make me stay | Jay McShann Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 93816 | 10-in. | 11/18/1941 | Hootie's ignorant oil | Jay McShann Quartet | instrumentalist, drums | ||
Decca | 100986 | 11/14/1956 | Coquette | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100987 | 11/14/1956 | Cherokee | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100988 | 11/14/1956 | From this moment on ; Who cares | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100989 | 11/14/1956 | Whispering | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100990 | 11/14/1956 | I'll be around | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100991 | 11/14/1956 | Everything I've got | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100992 | 11/14/1956 | Willow weep for me | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100993 | 11/14/1956 | It's all right with me | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100994 | 11/14/1956 | The boy next door | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100995 | 11/15/1956 | The most beautiful girl in the world | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100996 | 11/15/1956 | Night and day | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100997 | 11/15/1956 | This can't be love | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100998 | 11/15/1956 | I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 100999 | 11/15/1956 | By a waterfall | Johnny Costa | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 101000 | 11/20/1956 | Desert sunrise | Larry Sonn Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 101001 | 11/20/1956 | Congo mambo | Larry Sonn Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 101002 | 11/20/1956 | My heart stood still | Larry Sonn Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums | |||
Decca | 101003 | 11/20/1956 | Nice work if you can get it | Larry Sonn Orchestra | instrumentalist, drums |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Gus," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/323849.
Johnson, Gus. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/323849.
"Johnson, Gus." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Gus Johnson
Discogs: Gus Johnson
Allmusic: Gus Johnson
Grove: Gus Johnson
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Johnson, Gus, 1913-2000 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81002386
Wikidata: Gus Johnson - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q574798
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/104839029
MusicBrainz: Gus Johnson - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/d513f76e-07ec-4b21-92f6-b870efbcc524
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
Feedback
Send the Editors a message about this record.