Lem Johnson

Lemuel Charles "Lem" Johnson (August 6, 1909 – April 1, 1989) was an American jazz saxophonist who played both tenor and soprano saxophones.

Johnson was born in Oklahoma City. He played clarinet in local ensembles in the 1920s and picked up saxophone in 1928, playing with Walter Page's Blue Devils. Early in the 1930s he played in the band of Grant Moore (1931–35) in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, and then worked with Eli Rice and Earl Hines. In 1937 he moved to New York, where he played with Fess Williams, Luis Russell and Louis Jordan, and joined Skeets Tolbert's band in 1939. In Tolbert's group Johnson sang in addition to playing sax. He recorded with Buster Harding, Eddie Durham, Edgar Hayes, Sidney Bechet, Claude Hopkins, St. Louis Jimmy, Sam "The Man" Taylor and Sammy Price, and also cut some sessions as a leader, which have subsequently been released on compact disc. He also recorded with Johnny Long and his Orchestra on Coral Records (9-61478). After the 1940s he went into semi-retirement and occasionally played into the 1960s. Johnson died in New York City.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 6, 1909 (Oklahoma City), Died April 1, 1989

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1955

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor saxophone, vocalist, clarinet, saxophone

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D7VB-0270 10-in. 4/18/1947 I want a good man bad Lil Green ; Lil Green Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor D7VB-0271 10-in. 4/18/1947 You've been a good ole wagon Lil Green ; Lil Green Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor D7VB-0272 10-in. 4/18/1947 I want a man Lil Green ; Lil Green Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor D7VB-0273 10-in. 4/18/1947 Lonely woman Lil Green ; Lil Green Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor D7VB-0800 10-in. 5/8/1947 Take me back to Little Rock (Arkansas) Lil Green ; Lil Green Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor D7VB-0801 10-in. 5/8/1947 Aggravatin' papa Lil Green ; Lil Green Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor D7VB-0802 10-in. 5/8/1947 Daddy, daddy blues Lil Green ; Lil Green Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Victor D7VB-0803 10-in. 5/8/1947 Outside of that Lil Green ; Lil Green Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, saxophone  
Decca 64823 10-in. 12/20/1938 Toodle-loo on down Rodney Sturgis instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 64824 10-in. 12/20/1938 So good Rodney Sturgis instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 64825 10-in. 12/20/1938 Away from you Rodney Sturgis instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 64826 10-in. 12/20/1938 Honey in the bee ball Louis Jordan's Elks Rendezvous Band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, clarinet  
Decca 64827 10-in. 12/20/1938 Barnacle Bill the sailor Louis Jordan's Elks Rendezvous Band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, clarinet  
Decca 65304 10-in. 3/29/1939 Flat face (Instrumental) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, clarinet  
Decca 65305 10-in. 3/29/1939 Keep a-knockin' (but you can't come in) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, clarinet  
Decca 65306 10-in. 3/29/1939 Sam Jones done snagged his britches on Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, clarinet  
Decca 65307 10-in. 3/29/1939 Swingin' in a cocoanut tree (Instrumental) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, clarinet  
Decca 65308 10-in. 3/29/1939 Doug the jitterbug Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, clarinet  
Decca 65309 10-in. 3/29/1939 At the swing cats' ball Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, clarinet  
Decca 65923 10-in. 7/5/1939 The stuff 's out Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, vocalist  
Decca 65924 10-in. 7/5/1939 Railroad blues Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, vocalist  
Decca 65925 10-in. 7/5/1939 I'm blowin' my top Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 65926 10-in. 7/5/1939 Fine piece of meat Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 65927 10-in. 7/5/1939 Swing out Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, vocalist  
Decca 67101 10-in. 1/24/1940 Gimme something like that Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 67102 10-in. 1/24/1940 Hole holy roly - poly Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 67103 10-in. 1/24/1940 Raz-ma-taz Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 67104 10-in. 1/24/1940 Harlem ain't what it usta be Skeets Tolbert and his Gentlemen of Swing instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 68336 10-in. 11/11/1940 I want a little girl Eddie Durham and his Band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 68337 10-in. 11/11/1940 Moten's swing Eddie Durham and his Band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 68338 10-in. 11/11/1940 Fare Thee honey, fare Thee well Eddie Durham and his Band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, vocalist  
Decca 68339 10-in. 11/11/1940 Magic carpet Eddie Durham and his Band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 68457 10-in. 12/6/1940 Thinking Sam Price and his Texas Bluesicians instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 68458 10-in. 12/6/1940 Queen Street blues Lem Johnson ; Sam Price and his Texas Bluesicians vocalist, instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 68459 10-in. 12/6/1940 Jumpin' the boogie Sam Price and his Texas Bluesicians instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 68460 10-in. 12/6/1940 Louise Louise Lem Johnson ; Sam Price and his Texas Bluesicians vocalist, instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 70760 10-in. 5/19/1942 Going down slow Lem Johnson vocalist  
Decca 70761 10-in. 5/19/1942 Candy blues Lem Johnson vocalist  
Decca 84481 5/11/1953 I wanna know Johnny Long Orchestra vocalist  
Decca 84482 5/11/1953 Till the moon turns green Johnny Long Orchestra vocalist  
Decca 84483 5/11/1953 The girl that I marry Johnny Long Orchestra vocalist  
Decca 86590 7/19/1954 Sally May Johnny Long Orchestra vocalist  
Decca 86591 7/19/1954 Say hey Willie Mays Johnny Long Orchestra vocalist  
Decca 88386 7/14/1955 Maybellene Johnny Long Orchestra vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Lem," accessed May 7, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108316.

Johnson, Lem. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 7, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108316.

"Johnson, Lem." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108316

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