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Pete Johnson

Pete Johnson (born Kermit H. Johnson, March 25, 1904 – March 23, 1967) was an American boogie-woogie and jazz pianist.

Tony Russell stated in his book The Blues – From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray that "Johnson shared with the other members of the 'Boogie Woogie Trio' the technical virtuosity and melodic fertility that can make this the most exciting of all piano music styles, but he was more comfortable than Meade Lux Lewis in a band setting; and as an accompanist, unlike Lewis or Albert Ammons, he could sparkle but not outshine his singing partner". Scott Yanow for AllMusic, wrote: "Johnson was one of the three great boogie-woogie pianists", the others being Lewis and Ammons "whose sudden prominence in the late 1930s helped make the style very popular".

Birth and Death Data: Born May 3, 1904 (Kansas City), Died May 23, 1967 (Buffalo)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1940 - 1944

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, songwriter, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 34 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-060399 10-in. 1/29/1941 Boogin' on the downbeat Teddy Powell Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor PBS-061317 10-in. 6/25/1941 Johnson Special Californians ; Abe Lyman Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-063861 10-in. 5/7/1941 Boogie woogie man Albert Ammons ; Pete Johnson Piano duet, with drums songwriter, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-063863 10-in. 5/7/1941 Barrel house boogie Albert Ammons ; Pete Johnson Piano duet, with drums songwriter, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-063864 10-in. 5/7/1941 Cuttin' the boogie Albert Ammons ; James F. Hoskins ; Pete Johnson Piano duet, with drums instrumentalist, piano, songwriter  
Victor BS-066116 10-in. 6/17/1941 Foot pedal boogie Albert Ammons ; Pete Johnson Piano duet, with drums instrumentalist, piano, songwriter  
Victor BS-066117 10-in. 6/17/1941 Walkin' the boogie Albert Ammons ; Pete Johnson Piano duet, with drums instrumentalist, piano, songwriter  
Victor BS-066118 10-in. 6/17/1941 Sixth Avenue Express Albert Ammons ; Pete Johnson Piano duet, with drums instrumentalist, piano, songwriter  
Victor BS-066119 10-in. 6/17/1941 Pine Creek boogie Albert Ammons ; Pete Johnson Piano duet, with drums instrumentalist, piano, songwriter  
Victor BS-066120 10-in. 6/17/1941 Movin' the boogie Albert Ammons ; Pete Johnson Piano duet, with drums instrumentalist, piano, songwriter  
Decca 68004 10-in. 8/23/1940 Blues on the down beat Pete Johnson instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 68005 10-in. 8/23/1940 Kaycee on my mind Pete Johnson instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 68332 10-in. 11/11/1940 627 stomp Pete Johnson's Band instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 68333 10-in. 11/11/1940 Piney Brown blues Pete Johnson's Band ; Joe Turner instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 68334 10-in. 11/11/1940 Lafayette Hot Lips Page Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 68335 10-in. 11/11/1940 South Hot Lips Page Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 68435 10-in. 12/3/1940 Harlem rhumbain' the blues Hot Lips Page and his Band instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 68436 10-in. 12/3/1940 No matter where you are Hot Lips Page and his Band instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 69157 10-in. 5/8/1941 Basement boogie Pete Johnson instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 69158 10-in. 5/8/1941 Death ray boogie Pete Johnson instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 69159 10-in. 5/8/1941 Just for you Pete Johnson instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 69160 10-in. 5/8/1941 Pete's mixture Pete Johnson instrumentalist, piano  
Decca N 1692 10-in. 2/17/1944 Kaycee feeling Pete Johnson instrumentalist, piano  
Decca N 1693 10-in. 2/17/1944 Lights out mood Pete Johnson instrumentalist, piano  
Decca N 1694 10-in. 2/17/1944 Dive bomber Pete Johnson instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 1-25 of 34 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Pete," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/100033.

Johnson, Pete. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/100033.

"Johnson, Pete." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/100033

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