25-762: Ammons is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Albert Ammons (1907–1949), American jazz pianist A.R. Ammons (1926–2001), American author and poet Cliff Ammons (1918–1981), Louisiana state representative Donalda Ammons (born 1953), American educator and writer Doug Ammons (born 1957), American adventurer, kayaker, psychologist, and author Elizabeth Ammons , American literary scholar Gene Ammons (1925–1974), American jazz saxophonist Elias M. Ammons (1860–1925), Governor of Colorado Jane Ammons (born 1953), American industrial engineer Robert B. Ammons (1920–1999), American psychologist [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with
50-537: A drum and bugle corps as a teenager and was soon performing with bands in clubs in Chicago. After World War I he became interested in the blues, learning by listening to the Chicago pianists Hersal Thomas and the brothers Alonzo and Jimmy Yancey . In the early to mid-1920s Ammons worked as a cab driver for the Silver Taxicab Company. In 1924 he met up with his boyhood friend Meade Lux Lewis, who
75-603: A 1964 issue of Blues Unlimited detailing Johnson's difficulty in receiving royalty payments other than from Blue Note and Victor, in June, Johnson was accepted as a member of ASCAP , which finally ensured that some of the royalties would be received on a regular basis. His final live appearance was the Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall in January 1967, his eighth and final appearance at this event. A review of
100-592: A church, where he was working as a water boy for a construction company. From 1926 to 1938, he worked as a pianist, often working with Big Joe Turner . An encounter with record producer John Hammond in 1936 led to an engagement at the Famous Door in New York City. In 1938, Johnson and Turner appeared in the From Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall . After this show the popularity of
125-444: A concert produced by John H. Hammond , which helped launch the boogie-woogie craze. Two weeks later, the record producer Alfred Lion , who had attended the concert, started Blue Note Records , recording nine Ammons solos, including "The Blues" and "Boogie Woogie Stomp", eight by Lewis and two duets in a one-day session in a rented recording studio. In 1941, Ammons's boogie-woogie music was accompanied by drawn-on-film animation in
150-529: A finger in an accident and being partially paralyzed by a stroke. Between January and October 1953, he was employed by an ice cream company washing trucks, but supplemented his income by performing in a trio which played at the Bamboo Room in Buffalo on weekends. Johnson experienced more of the same the following year. He washed cars at a mortuary for $ 25 a week. In July, however, an engagement came his way at
175-610: A million copies, and their 1936 recording of "Boogie Woogie Stomp" has been described as "the first 12-bar piano based boogie-woogie, [which] was imitated by many jazz bands." Ammons moved from Chicago to New York City, where he teamed up with another pianist, Pete Johnson . The two performed regularly at the Café Society , occasionally joined by Lewis or by other jazz musicians, including Benny Goodman and Harry James . On December 23, 1938, Ammons appeared at Carnegie Hall with Johnson and Lewis in From Spirituals to Swing ,
200-406: A moment the two middle-aged men looked touchingly like little boys. Turner dedicated 'Roll 'Em Pete' to his old friend, as Lieberson and Johnson were about to leave the stage. Instead, they stopped and the pianist seated himself next to [Ray] Bryant at the piano and began to play the treble part of his old showpiece, Bryant handling the bass. Johnson was a bit shaky but game, gaining in confidence as
225-562: A physical examination in August, which revealed a heart condition as well as diabetes. Several strokes followed, resulting in complete loss of mobility in both hands. Four years after the series of strokes he was still disabled and was beginning to lose his eyesight. Jazz Report magazine ran a series of record auctions to raise money for Johnson. In 1964, a longtime correspondent of his, Hans Maurer , published The Pete Johnson Story . All sales proceeds went to Johnson. After an article appeared in
250-613: A solo artist, and between 1946 and 1949 recorded his last sides, for Mercury Records , with the bassist Israel Crosby, and took on the position of staff pianist with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. In 1949 he played at the inauguration of President Harry S. Truman . During his last years, Ammons played mainly at the Beehive Club and the Tailspin Club in Chicago. Four days before he died, he had been at
275-597: A young singer, Etta Jones . Each has a solo cut backed by Johnson, and then the whole group plays a jam session together. On this album Johnson shows his considerable command of stride piano and his ability to work with a group. It was later re-released as Pete's Blues . At a nightclub in Niagara Falls , the piano was on a platform above the bar, and Johnson had to climb a ladder to get there. In 1950, he moved to Buffalo . He encountered some health and financial problems in this period, including losing part of
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#1732787269502300-455: Is attributed to his close friendship with Meade Lux Lewis and also his father's interest in the style. Both Albert and Meade would practice together on the piano in the Ammons household. From the age of ten, Ammons learned about chords by marking the depressed keys on the family pianola (player piano) with a pencil and repeated the process until he had mastered it. He also played percussion in
325-463: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles Albert Ammons Albert Clifton Ammons (March 1, 1907 – December 2, 1949) was an American pianist and player of boogie-woogie , a blues style popular from the late 1930s to the mid-1940s. Ammons was born in Chicago , Illinois . His parents were pianists, and he had learned to play by the age of ten. His interest in boogie-woogie
350-437: The boogie-woogie style was on the upswing. Johnson worked locally and toured and recorded with Turner, Meade Lux Lewis, and Albert Ammons during this period. Ammons and Johnson appeared in the film short Boogie-Woogie Dream in 1941. The 1938 song " Roll 'Em Pete " (composed by Johnson and Turner), featuring Turner on vocals and Johnson on piano, was one of the first rock and roll records . Another self-referential title
375-408: The surname Ammons . If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ammons&oldid=930433829 " Category : Surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
400-823: The Berkshire Music Barn in Lenox, Massachusetts . But he continued to record, and toured Europe in 1958 with the Jazz at the Philharmonic ensemble, despite the fact that he was feeling unwell. While in Europe he received an invitation to appear at the Newport Jazz Festival , which he did upon his return to the States, accompanying Big Joe Turner, Chuck Berry and Big Maybelle . Johnson underwent
425-599: The St. Louis Forest Park Hotel, a six-week residency as the pianist at the Circus Snack Bar. Some broadcasts were made on Saturday afternoons in a program called Saturday at the Chase . Johnson was also privately recorded on July 20 and August 1, 1954, at a pair of house parties arranged at the home of Bill Atkinson, a close friend. Things remained somewhat bleak for the next four years, except for three appearances in 1955 at
450-838: The Yancey apartment listening to Don Ewell and Jimmy Yancey play. Ammons could play only one song, having just regained the use of his hands after a temporary paralysis. Ammons died of natural causes on December 2, 1949, in Chicago, at age 42. He was interred at the Lincoln Cemetery , at Kedzie Avenue in Blue Island, Illinois. Ammons has had a wide influence on countless pianists, such as Jerry Lee Lewis , Dave Alexander , Dr. John , Hadda Brooks , Johnnie Johnson , Ray Bryant , Erroll Garner , Katie Webster and Axel Zwingenberger . Pete Johnson (musician) Kermit Holden "Pete" Johnson (March 25, 1904 – March 23, 1967)
475-463: The age of 12, he sought out work to ease some of the financial burden at home. He worked various jobs; in a factory, a print shop, and as a shoe-shiner. He dropped out of school in the fifth grade as a result of his efforts. Johnson began his musical career in 1922 as a drummer in Kansas City. He began piano about the same time he was learning the drums. His early piano practices took place in
500-461: The concert by Dan Morgenstern of DownBeat : "Then for the concert's most moving moment, Lieberson (the MC) escorted Pete Johnson on stage and introduced him as one of the participants in the original Spirituals to Swing and the greatest boogie-woogie pianist. Johnson had suffered a series of paralytic strokes and had not played piano for many years. His old buddy, Turner, took him by the hand, and for
525-404: The short film Boogie-Doodle , by Norman McLaren . Ammons played himself in the movie Boogie-Woogie Dream (1944), with Lena Horne and Johnson. As a sideman with Sippie Wallace in the 1940s Ammons recorded a session with his son, the tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons . Although the boogie-woogie fad began to die down in 1945, Ammons had no difficulty securing work. He continued to tour as
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#1732787269502550-535: Was also then a taxi driver. Soon the two players began working as a team, performing at club parties. Ammons started his own band at the Club DeLisa in 1934 and remained at the club for the next two years. During that time he played with a five-piece band that included Guy Kelly , Dalbert Bright, Jimmy Hoskins, and Israel Crosby . Ammons also recorded as Albert Ammons's Rhythm Kings for Decca Records in 1936. The Rhythm Kings' version of "Swanee River Boogie" sold
575-547: Was an American boogie-woogie and jazz pianist. Tony Russell stated in his book The Blues – From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray that "Johnson shared with the other members of the 'Boogie Woogie Trio' the technical virtuosity and melodic fertility that can make this the most exciting of all piano music styles, but he was more comfortable than Meade Lux Lewis in a band setting; and as an accompanist, unlike Lewis or Albert Ammons , he could sparkle but not outshine his singing partner". Scott Yanow for AllMusic , wrote: "Johnson
600-503: Was one of the three great boogie-woogie pianists", the others being Lewis and Ammons "whose sudden prominence in the late 1930s helped make the style very popular". Johnson was born in Kansas City, Missouri . He was raised by his mother after his father deserted the family. Things got so bad financially, Pete was placed in an orphanage when he was three. He became so homesick, however, that he ran away and returned living at home. By
625-569: Was their "Johnson and Turner Blues." In 1949, he also wrote and recorded "Rocket 88 Boogie," a two-sided instrumental, which influenced the 1951 Ike Turner hit, " Rocket 88 ". On three dates in January 1946, Johnson recorded an early concept album , Pete Johnson's Housewarmin’ , in which he starts out playing alone, supposedly in a new empty house, and is joined there by J. C. Higginbotham , J. C. Heard , and other Kansas City players. The recording also included parts played by Albert Nicholas , Hot Lips Page , Clyde Bernhardt . Budd Johnson , and
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