Johnnie Johnson, a pioneer in the early days of rock music, was born in West Virginia in 1924. As a youth, he taught himself to play the piano, a skill that would serve him well throughout his life. When World War II broke out, Johnson moved to Detroit, Michigan, to take advantage of the defense industry's rapid growth. In 1943, he joined the United States Marine Corps and formed a band that toured and performed in the Pacific theater.
Following the war, Johnson relocated to Chicago, where he immersed himself in the city's vibrant blues scene. He became acquainted with blues legends such as Muddy Waters and Little Milton, and even had the opportunity to play with them on occasion. Johnson eventually moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he worked with Albert King and began to develop his own unique sound.
In 1952, Johnson started his own band, the Johnnie Johnson Trio, which focused primarily on jazz and R&B. It was during this time that he met Chuck Berry, a relatively unknown country and western singer, and hired him to play a New Year's Eve party. The two musicians hit it off immediately and collaborated for the next 30 years, producing some of the most iconic rock songs of all time.
Johnson would compose the music for a particular song on his piano, and then Berry would adapt it to his guitar and write the lyrics. This partnership resulted in classics such as "No Particular Place to Go" and "Roll Over, Beethoven." In fact, Berry's famous song "Johnny B. Good" was written as a tribute to Johnson.
In the 1970s, Johnson began to tire of touring and left Berry to work with a St. Louis group called Sounds of the City. He later took over the group and renamed it The Magnificent Five. Although he continued to perform with Berry on occasion, Johnson also pursued solo projects, releasing a solo album called "Blue Hand Johnnie" in 1987 and "Johnnie B. Bad" four years later.
Johnnie Johnson passed away on April 13, 2005, in St. Louis, Missouri, due to complications from a liver transplant.
