Johnson, Lem(uel Charles)
Johnson, Lem(uel Charles)
Johnson, Lem(uel Charles), jazz tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, singer; b. Oklahoma City, Okla., Aug. 6, 1909; d. N.Y., April 1, 1989. He attended Douglass H.S., started on clarinet, gigged with local bands, and played in Oklahoma City in The Jolly Harmony Boys led by Charlie Christian’s brother, Edward. He switched to sax in 1928, and received instruction from Walter Page while working a summer season (1928) with The Blue Devils in Shawnee, Okla. In 1929, he did regular radio work in Okla. and then played with various bands in Milwaukee. During the mid-1930s, he spent three years with Eli Rice (mainly in Minneapolis). In April 1937, he moved to N.Y., working with various leaders until he formed his own trio in late 1939. He led his own sextet during the early 1940s, but also worked brief spells with others. After the war, he reformed his sextet and played local gigs. For many years, he worked during the day for the N.Y. post office, but through the 1950s and 1960s continued to lead own highly successful band, which regularly featured many well-known musicians. He retired in the 1970s.
—John Chilton/Lewis Porter