Lem Johnson
Charles Lemuel " Lem " Johnson ( also Deacon Lem Johnson, born August 16, 1909 in Oklahoma City, † April 1, 1989 in New York City ) was an American jazz and rhythm and blues musician (tenor saxophone, clarinet and vocals ).
Life and work
Johnson began his career in the mid 1920s as a clarinetist in local bands; From 1928 he played the saxophone and had as a member of the Blue Devils lessons with Walter Page. In 1929 he played with Sammy Price in a radio show. In the early 1930s he was a member of various bands, played three years at Eli Rice, mid-decade, mostly in Minneapolis. Around 1936 he went with Earl Hines on tour; then he moved to New York. In the following years he worked with Fess Williams, Luis Russell, Louis Jordan (1938 /39), Buster Harding and early 1940s with Eddie Durham, further comprising Edgar Hayes, Sidney Bechet (1941 ) and Claude Hopkins ( 1942/43, ).
From this time, Johnson worked until the 1960s, with their own groups. In 1942 he took under his own name for Decca Records on ( Goin ' Down Slow / Candy Blues ), further recordings were made in 1944, 1946 ( Oo Wee Baby / Walkin' the Boogie, on Queen Records) and in 1953 as vocalist for MGM with Sam "The Man " Taylor and Milt Hinton as sidemen (I Got a Letter). A compilation of his recordings appeared under the title Complete Lem Johnson 1940-1953 ( Blue Moon ). In the field of jazz, he was involved 1938-1969 to 18 recording sessions, except those mentioned, with Skeets Tolbert, Lil Green, Warren Evans and Hot Lips Page ( Rockin 'at Ryan's ).