Will Johnson

William K. Johnson (died August 13, 1955) was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and vocalist. Johnson was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, where he played locally until relocating to New York in 1926. There he worked with the Dixie Ramblers and George Howe, then joined Luis Russell's orchestra in 1927. He remained with Russell until 1932 and during this time recorded with King Oliver, Red Allen, and Jack Purvis. He worked with Fess Williams in 1933-1934 and continued working actively until the end of the 1930s. After retiring from music he moved back to Lexington; in 1955 he died in a house fire. He is often confused with William Manuel Johnson, a jazz bassist, in published works.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1905 (Lexington), Died 1955 (Lexington)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1931

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, banjo, tenor guitar, vocalist

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

Recordings (Results 26-49 of 49 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BVE-57928	10-in.	12/18/1929	Won't you get off it please	Fats Waller’s Buddies	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	BVE-57929	10-in.	12/18/1929	When I'm alone	Fats Waller’s Buddies	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	BVE-58581	10-in.	2/18/1930	Sugar Hill function	Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, banjo
Victor	BVE-58582	10-in.	2/18/1930	You might get better but you'll never get well	Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	vocalist, instrumentalist, banjo
Victor	BVE-58583	10-in.	2/18/1930	Everybody shout	Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, banjo
Victor	BVE-58584	10-in.	2/18/1930	Dancing Dave	Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, banjo
Victor	BVE-59142	10-in.	2/4/1930	New York blues	Victoria Spivey	Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	BVE-59143	10-in.	2/4/1930	Lonesome with the blues	Victoria Spivey	Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	BVE-59144	10-in.	2/4/1930	Showered with blues	Victoria Spivey	Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	BVE-59145	10-in.	2/4/1930	Haunted by the blues	Victoria Spivey	Female vocal solo, with guitar and piano	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	BRC-70195	10-in.	8/28/1931	You rascal you	Henry Allen ; Luis Russell Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	BRC-70196	10-in.	8/28/1931	Goin' to town	Chick Bullock ; Luis Russell Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	BRC-70197	10-in.	8/28/1931	Say the word	Chick Bullock ; Luis Russell Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, guitar
Victor	BRC-70198	10-in.	8/28/1931	Freakish blues	Luis Russell Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W403493	10-in.	12/10/1929	I ain't got nobody (And nobody cares for me)	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W403494	10-in.	12/10/1929	Dallas blues	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W403495	10-in.	12/13/1929	St. Louis blues	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W403496	10-in.	12/13/1929	Rockin' chair	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W403681	10-in.	1/24/1930	Song of the islands	Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra [Luis Russell Orchestra]	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W403714	10-in.	2/1/1930	Bessie couldn't help it	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W403715	10-in.	2/1/1930	Blue, turning grey over you	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W490014	10-in.	12/10/1929	I ain't got nobody (And nobody cares for me)	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W490015	10-in.	12/10/1929	Dallas blues	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, guitar
OKeh	W490016	10-in.	12/13/1929	St. Louis blues	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, guitar

(Results 26-49 of 49 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Will," accessed November 21, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/100886.

Johnson, Will. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/100886.

"Johnson, Will." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 21 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/100886

External Sources

Wikipedia: Bill Johnson (banjoist)

Discogs: Will Johnson

Allmusic: Will Johnson

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Johnson, Will (Guitarist) - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n2004079861

Wikidata: Bill Johnson (banjoist) - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q862206

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/5729276

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

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