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Artist

James P. Johnson

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Aliases
James Johnson [US1]
James P. Johnson and His Orchestra
James P. Johnson's Blue Note Jazzmen
James P. Johnson's Harmony Eight
Jas. P. Johnson
Jimmie Johnson and His Orchestra
Jimmie Johnson's Jazz Boys
Jimmy Johnson [US3]
Jimmy Johnson and His Band
Jimmy Johnson & His Orchestra
Real name
James Price Johnson
Born
February 1, 1894
Died
November 17, 1955
Country
United States
IPI
00015415809 2 works
00015416316 1 work
00015416708 31 works
Affiliation
ASCAP, BMI
Comments
Pianist and composer. Johnson was a pioneering stride pianist and one of the most important figures in the evolution of ragtime piano into jazz. Johnson cut many piano rolls and was also important as a writer of popular songs for musical theatre.
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970
Member of
Louisiana Sugar Babes
Not to be confused with
James "Stump" Johnson
J. C. Johnson
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Added by Denis
Managed by Oliver One

Originals

Title Performer Release date Covered by
i 1944 (9 artists)
i May 1917 (10 artists)
i 1918 (70 artists)
September 1921 (8 artists)
i July 1917 (7 artists)
listen on Internet Archive December 1929 (28 artists)
i February 1918 (5 artists)
i June 1962 (4 artists)
i November 1944 Paris Washboard
September 30, 1928 (17 artists)
October 1929 (2 artists)
June 1962 (4 artists)
October 1929 (8 artists)
i March 1922 (16 artists)
i 1944 (13 artists)
September 30, 1928 (26 artists)
 REL May 17, 1929 Ted des Plantes' Washboard Wizards
Originally by Butterbeans and Susie with Piano Eddie Heywood REC
i 1927 (48 artists)
i May 1917 (5 artists)
i September 1921 (13 artists)
i May 1944 (3 artists)
May 1930 (2 artists)
listen on Internet Archive December 1929 (13 artists)
December 1929 (15 artists)

Covers by James P. Johnson

Title Performer Release date Originally by
i 1951 Campbell and Burr
i 1946 Margaret Simms & Paul Bass
i 1927 Perry Bradford and His Gang
August 1932 Alabama Washboard Stompers – Vocal Chorus by Jake Fenderson
i 1955 Lucille Hegamin - Accompanied by Blue Flame Syncopators
i Back-Water Blues James P. Johnson 1944 Unverified
i 1954 Noble Sissle and His Sizzling Syncopators
i February 1922 Eubie Blake and His Shuffle Along Orchestra, (unknown)
listen on Internet Archive i September 15, 1923 Bessie Smith - Fletcher Henderson at the Piano
i 1946 Barney Trimble and His Oklahomans (Lou Gold)
June 1958 (unknown)
i   June 1925 Elisabeth Welch and Chorus PRF, The Ambassadors [US2] REC, Arthur Gibbs and His Gang REL
i 1955 Alice Leslie Carter accompanied by Jimmie Johnson's Jazz Boys
i 1930 Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians - Vocal Refrain by Carmen Lombardo
i February 1922 (unknown)
January 4, 1929 Helen Humes
i 1922 Ethel Waters - Cordy Williams' Jazz Masters
i November 1944 Scott Joplin
i 1951 Aileen Stanley
i 1954 (unknown)
i November 1944 Prince's Band
i 1946 Bert Stock and His Orchestra
June 1962 Sara Martin - Accomp. by Clarence Williams Blue Five
i March 15, 1930 Sara Martin - Accomp. by Clarence Williams Blue Five
i June 1962 Chick Webb's Savoy Orch.
i 1927 Eva Taylor, Accomp. by Clarence Williams Blue Five
i 1950 Eva Taylor, Accomp. by Clarence Williams Blue Five
i 1955 King Oliver and His Orchestra
i 1946 "Fats" Waller and His Rhythm
1939 Virginia Liston - Piano Accomp. by Clarence Williams
i   March 15, 1930 The Dixie Stompers [US1] (Fletcher Henderson) REC, Clarence Williams' Blue Five - Singing Chorus by Eva Taylor REL
i 1946 (unknown)
listen on Internet Archive i 1930 Clarence Williams and His Orchestra
listen on Internet Archive Just a Crazy Song Hi, Hi, Hi Jimmy Johnson & His Orchestra 1931 Unverified
i 1946 Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra
i May 1921 (unknown)
June 1958 (unknown)
i   June 1962 Ethel Waters REC, Minto Cato PRF
June 1958 Victor Military Band, (unknown)
i 1955 Harry Raderman's Jazz Orchestra
i 1946 Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians - Vocal Refrain by Carmen Lombardo
i   June 1962 Frank Crumit REC, Ina Duncan, Adelaide Hall and Arthur Porter PRF
i 1955 Scott Joplin
i   1946 Clarence Williams' Blue Five - Vocal Chorus by Eva Taylor REL, William Bailey REC
June 1958 Prince's Band
i 1955 Ethel Waters
i 1951 Eddie Nelson
i 1951 Victor Military Band
i 1930 Elsie Carlisle
June 1958 Prince's Band
listen on Internet Archive i September 15, 1923 Ethel Waters – Acc. by J. C. Johnson
December 1929 Bessie Smith - James P. Johnson at the Piano
listen on Internet Archive i 1930 Jimmie Johnson and His Orchestra
February 1930 Jimmie Johnson and His Orchestra

Songs written by James P. Johnson

Original songs

Title Written by Originally by Original date Covered by
Ain't Cha Got Music Andy Razaf, James P. Johnson Covered by (9 artists)
Alabama Stomp Henry Creamer, James P. Johnson Harry Pollock's Club Maurice Diamonds REC, Gus C. Edwards and His Orchestra - Vocal refrain by Cliff Covert REL September 2, 1926 Covered by (6 artists)
A Porter's Love Song (To a Chambermaid) Andy Razaf, James P. Johnson Alabama Washboard Stompers – Vocal Chorus by Jake Fenderson October 13, 1930 Covered by (74 artists)
Blueberry Rhyme James P. Johnson James P. Johnson December 18, 1943 Covered by (9 artists)
Caprice Rag James P. Johnson James P. Johnson May 1917 Covered by (10 artists)
Carolina Shout James P. Johnson Jas. P. Johnson February 1918 Covered by (70 artists)
Charleston James P. Johnson, Cecil Mack Elisabeth Welch and Chorus PRF, The Ambassadors [US2] REC, Arthur Gibbs and His Gang REL October 29, 1923 Covered by (189 artists)
Creole Lullaby James P. Johnson, Omer Simeon The Carnival Three February 22, 1945 Covered by The Trevor Richards New Orleans Trio
Daintiness Rag James P. Johnson James P. Johnson July 1917 Covered by (7 artists)
Don't Cry Baby James P. Johnson, Stella Unger, Saul Bernie Bessie Smith - James P. Johnson at the Piano October 11, 1929 Covered by (28 artists)
Eccentricity Waltz James P. Johnson James P. Johnson February 1918 Covered by (5 artists)
Fascination James P. Johnson James P. Johnson June 14, 1939 Covered by (4 artists)
Four o'Clock Groove James P. Johnson James P. Johnson June 12, 1944 Covered by Paris Washboard
Harlem Hotcha Andy Razaf, James P. Johnson Covered by (5 artists)
Hungry Blues Langston Hughes, James P. Johnson James P. Johnson March 9, 1939 Covered by (4 artists)
If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight) Henry Creamer, James P. Johnson Eva Taylor, Accomp. by Clarence Williams Blue Five February 10, 1927 Covered by (266 artists)
I Need Lovin' Henry Creamer, James P. Johnson Honey Duke and His Uke (Johnny Marvin) 1927 Covered by (22 artists)
Jingles James P. Johnson Clarence Williams and His Orchestra October 1927 Covered by (12 artists)
Keep Off the Grass James P. Johnson James P. Johnson October 18, 1921 Covered by (16 artists)
Lock and Key Henry Creamer, James P. Johnson Bessie Smith and Her Blue Boys April 1, 1927 Covered by (6 artists)
Mule Walk James P. Johnson James P. Johnson December 15, 1943 Covered by (13 artists)
My Sweet Hunk o' Trash James P. Johnson, Flournoy Miller Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong with Orchestra directed by Sy Oliver September 30, 1949 Covered by (4 artists)
Old Fashioned Love James P. Johnson, Cecil Mack Ina Duncan, Adelaide Hall and Arthur Porter PRF, Frank Crumit REC October 29, 1923 Covered by (148 artists)
Put Your Mind Right On It James P. Johnson, Perry Bradford Butterbeans and Susie with Piano Eddie Heywood REC, Jimmy Johnson and His Band REL February 21, 1929 Covered by Ted des Plantes' Washboard Wizards
Snowy Morning Blues James P. Johnson James P. Johnson March 7, 1927 Covered by (48 artists)
Steeplechase Rag James P. Johnson James P. Johnson May 1917 Covered by (5 artists)
The Harlem Strut James P. Johnson James P. Johnson August 1921 Covered by (13 artists)
There Goes My Headache Andy Razaf, James P. Johnson Mills Brothers September 12, 1934 Covered by The Five Jinx
Victory Stride James P. Johnson James P. Johnson's Blue Note Jazzmen May 1944 Covered by (3 artists)
Whisper Sweet James P. Johnson, Jo Trent Bob Howard and His Orchestra January 2, 1935 Covered by (7 artists)
You Can't Lose a Broken Heart James P. Johnson, Flournoy Miller Johnnie Lee and The Ebonaires, Orchestra under the Direction of Phil Moore July 1949 Covered by (27 artists)
You Don't Understand James P. Johnson, Spencer Williams, Clarence Williams [US1] Bessie Smith - James P. Johnson at the Piano October 11, 1929 Covered by (13 artists)
You for Me, Me for You James P. Johnson, Cecil Mack Dixie Washboard Band (Singing by Shufflin' Sam) May 8, 1926 Covered by (3 artists)
You've Got to Be Modernistic James P. Johnson Jimmie Johnson and His Orchestra November 18, 1929 Covered by (15 artists)

Releases

Singles

Title Performer Release date Label
All That I Had Is Gone Jimmy Johnson [US3] 1927 Columbia [US]
A Porter's Love Song (To a Chambermaid) - Wildcat Stomp Jimmy Johnson & His Orchestra - Eddie Edinbough & His New Orleans Wildcats August 1932 Columbia [US]
Bleeding Hearted Blues James P. Johnson September 15, 1923 Victor
Blueberry Rhyme James P. Johnson 1944 Signature [US]
Blue Spirit Blues Bessie Smith accomp. by Jimmy Johnson May 1930 Columbia [US]
Caprice Rag James P. Johnson May 1917 Metro-Art
Carolina Shout Jas. P. Johnson 1918 Artempo
Charleston James P. Johnson June 1925 QRS
Cry Baby Blues Alice Leslie Carter accompanied by Jimmie Johnson's Jazz Boys September 1921 Arto
Daintiness Rag James P. Johnson July 1917 Universal [1900s]
Dear Old Southland James P. Johnson's Harmony Eight February 1922 OKeh
Don't Cry Baby Bessie Smith - James P. Johnson at the Piano December 1929 Columbia [US]
Down Home Blues James P. Johnson 1922 QRS
Eccentricity Jas. P. Johnson February 1918 Artempo
Eccentricity James P. Johnson May 1921 QRS
Fare Thee Honey Blues Jimmy Johnson and His Band May 17, 1929 Columbia [US]
He's Got Me Goin' Bessie Smith - Piano Accomp. by James P. Johnson October 1929 Columbia [US]
How Could I Be Blue Jimmy Johnson and Clarence Williams March 15, 1930 Columbia [US]
If I Could Be with You James P. Johnson and Fats Waller 1927 QRS
Improvisation on Pine Top's Boogie Woogie James P. Johnson 1943 Blue Note
I'm Tired of Fattenin' Frogs for Snakes Rosetta Crawford With James P. Johnson's Hop Cats 1939 Decca
Keep off the Grass James P. Johnson March 1922 OKeh
Loveless Love James P. Johnson May 1921 QRS
Mule Walk-Stomp James P. Johnson 1944 Blue Note
My Handy Man Ethel Waters - Piano Accomp. by James P. Johnson September 30, 1928 Columbia [US]
Shout On Great Day New Orleans Singers (Directors Jimmy Johnson and Clarence Williams) February 1930 OKeh
Steeplechase Rag James P. Johnson May 1917 Universal [1900s]
The Harlem Strut - Unknown Blues James P. Johnson - F.H. Henderson September 1921 Black Swan Records
Victory Stride James P. Johnson's Blue Note Jazzmen May 1944 Blue Note
What Is This Thing Called Love? Jimmy Johnson [US3] 1930 Brunswick
You've Got to Be Modernistic Jimmie Johnson and His Orchestra December 1929 Victor
You've Got to Be Modernistic Jimmy Johnson [US3] 1930 Brunswick

Performances also appear on

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