Harold "Money" Johnson (February 23, 1918 – March 28, 1978) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

trumpeter.

Early life

Johnson was born in

Tyler, Texas Tyler is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the largest city and county seat of Smith County, Texas, Smith County. It is also the largest city in Northeast Texas. With a 2020 census population of 105,995, Tyler was the List of cities in Texa ...

, on February 23, 1918. He first played trumpet at age 15. Primarily a trumpeter, he also recorded with the trombone in a few instances and subsequently the flugelhorn and flute, respectively.

Later life and career

He moved to

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

in 1936 and jammed with

Charlie Christian Charles Henry Christian (July 29, 1916 – March 2, 1942) was an American swing and jazz guitarist. Christian was an important early performer on the electric guitar and a key figure in the development of bebop and cool jazz. He gained nat ...

and Henry Bridges before joining

Nat Towles Nat Towles (August 10, 1905 – January 1963) was an American musician, jazz and big band leader popular in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, North Omaha, Nebraska and Chicago, Illinois. He was also music educator in Austin, Texas. The N ...

's band. He played with Horace Henderson and Bob Dorsey before returning to Towles's band in 1944 in Chicago. He also played with

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

, Cootie Williams,

Lucky Millinder Lucius Venable "Lucky" Millinder (August 8, 1910 – September 28, 1966) was an American swing and rhythm-and-blues bandleader. Although he could not read or write music, did not play an instrument and rarely sang, his showmanship and musical ...

, and Bull Moose Jackson in the 1940s. His associations in the 1950s included Louis Jordan (1951),

Lucky Thompson Eli "Lucky" Thompson (June 16, 1924 – July 30, 2005) was an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist whose playing combined elements of swing and bebop. Although John Coltrane usually receives the most credit for bringing the soprano sa ...

(1953),

Sy Oliver Melvin James "Sy" Oliver (December 17, 1910 – May 28, 1988) was an American jazz arranger, trumpeter, composer, singer and bandleader. Life Sy Oliver was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. His mother was a piano teacher, and his ...

Buddy Johnson Woodrow Wilson "Buddy" Johnson (January 10, 1915 – February 9, 1977) was an American jump blues pianist and bandleader active from the 1930s through the 1960s. His songs were often performed by his sister Ella Johnson, most notably " Since I ...

Cozy Cole William Randolph "Cozy" Cole (October 17, 1909 – January 9, 1981) was an American jazz drummer who worked with Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong among others and led his own groups. Life and career William Randolph Cole was born in East Or ...

Mercer Ellington Mercer Kennedy Ellington (March 11, 1919 – February 8, 1996) was an American musician, composer, and arranger. His father was Duke Ellington, whose band Mercer led for 20 years after his father's death. Biography Early life and education Ellin ...

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(1956), and

Panama Francis David Albert "Panama" Francis (December 21, 1918 – November 13, 2001) was an American swing jazz drummer who played on numerous hit recordings in the 1950s. Early life Francis was born in Miami, Florida, on December 21, 1918. His father was ...

(for performances in Uruguay in 1953). In the 1960s Johnson played in the house band at the Apollo Theater in New York, and recorded with

King Curtis Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery; February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musician ...

in 1962. He toured the

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with Earl Hines in 1966. From 1968 he played in the Duke Ellington Orchestra and also worked again with Hines and Oliver. He recorded with

Buck Clayton Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' That I Love You" ...

in 1975. Johnson's last performance was on the night before he died of a heart attack, which was on March 28, 1978, in New York City.

Discography

:''Year of release, rather than recording is indicated.'' With Pearl Bailey *''1944-1947'' (Classics, 2002) *''Takes Two To Tango'' (ASV/Living Era, 2004) With

*''Cozy Cole/Savina'' (Love, 2005) With

*''Buck Clayton Jam Session'' (Chiaroscuro, 1975) With

*''Blow Man, Blow!'' (Bear Family, 1992) With Duke Ellington *''Second Sacred Concert'' (Prestige, 1968) *''New Orleans Suite'' (Atlantic, 1970) *''The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse'' (Original Jazz Classics, 1971) *''Up In Duke's Workshop'' (Original Jazz Classics, 1972) *''The Ellington Suites: The Queen's Suite/The Goutelas Suite/The Uwis Suite'' (Pablo/Original Jazz Classics, released 1976) *''The Intimate Ellington'' (Concord, 1977) *''Private Collection, Vol. 9: Studio Sessions, New York'' (Saja, 1989) *''Private Collection, Vol. 10'' (Saja, 1989) *''Never Before Released Recordings 1965-1972'' (Musicmasters, 1991) *''Cool Rock'' (Laserlight, 1992) *''Berlin '65/Paris '67'' (Pablo, 1997) *''Togo Brava Suite'' (Storyville, 2001) *''Live & Rare'' (Bluebird RCA, 2002) *''Rugged Jungle'' (Lost Secret, 2004) *''New York, NY'' (Storyville, 2008) *''Live in Warsaw October 30, 1971'' (Gambit, 2009) *''Last Trip To Paris: Nov 14 1973'' (City Hall, 2013) *''Mara Gold'' (Squatty Roo, 2014) With Duke Ellington Orchestra /

*''Continuum'' (Fantasy, 1975) With Louis Jordan *''Let the Good Times Roll'' (Imports, 1992) *''Let The Good Times Roll: The Anthology 1938-1953'' (MCA, 1999) With

Barbara Lewis Barbara Ann Lewis (born February 9, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter whose smooth style influenced rhythm and blues. Career Lewis was born in Salem, Michigan, United States. She was writing and recording by her teens with record ...

*''Hello Stranger: The Best of Barbara Lewis'' (Rhino, 1994) With Jack McDuff *'' A Change Is Gonna Come/Double Barrelled Soul'' (Atlantic, 1966) With Bull Moose Jackson *''1945-1947'' (Classics, 2003) With

*''Back Beats'' (Pearl, 1996) *''1943-1947'' (Classics, 1999) With

Houston Person Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. He received the ...

*'' Houston Express'' (Prestige, 1970) *''Legends Of Acid Jazz'' (Prestige, 1996) With

Red Prysock Wilburt "Red" Prysock (February 2, 1926 – July 19, 1993) was an American R&B tenor saxophonist, one of the early Coleman Hawkins-influenced saxophonists to move in the direction of rhythm and blues, rather than bebop. Career With Tiny Grimes ...

*''Swingsation'' (Verve, 1999) With Jesse Stone *''Jesse Stone Alias Charles "Chuck" Calhoun'' (Bear Family, 1996) With

*''Lucky Moments'' (Ocium, 2003) With Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson *''Primary Cuts, Vol. 1'' (Catfish, 2000) With Cootie Williams and His Orchestra *''1945-1946'' (Classics, 1999) *''Big Bands At The Savoy'' (and

Luis Russell Luis Russell (August 5, 1902 – December 11, 1963) was a pioneering Panamanian jazz pianist, orchestra leader, composer, and arranger. Career Luis Carl Russell was born on Careening Cay, near Bocas del Toro, Panama, in a family of African-Car ...

, Allegro, 1999)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Money 1918 births 1978 deaths 20th-century American musicians American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters Duke Ellington Orchestra members Musicians from Texas People from Tyler, Texas American male jazz musicians 20th-century American male musicians