Arnold Johnson

Arnold Johnson (March 23, 1893 in Chicago – July 15, 1975 in St. Petersburg, Florida) was an American big band pianist, arranger, composer, and leader during the swing jazz era. He was orchester leader on the popular The Majestic Theater of the Air program on the CBS radio network beginning in 1929.

Johnson worked in a Chinese restaurant in Chicago as a pianist when he was fourteen years old, and also worked as an accompanist for vaudeville revues. He studied at the Chicago College of Music and the American Conservatory of Music. He took a job as a pianist in Rudy Wiedoeft's New York-based Frisco Jass Band in the early 1920s, and also worked briefly in real estate around this time. He formed his own band in the middle of the 1920s, which recorded for Brunswick Records and Vocalion Records; Freddy Martin and Harold Arlen were sidemen in the group. Later, Vic Berton, Bob Chester, and Danny Polo would join the band, which played in the Broadway musicals George White Scandals, Greenwich Village Follies, and Earl Carroll's Sketchbook in 1928-1929. The group performed frequently in dance halls in New York and Chicago.

Johnson disbanded the group in the early 1930s, and became involved in the broadcasting business, working as a director and producer of radio programs such as National Amateur Night.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 22, 1893 (Chicago), Died July 25, 1975 (Florida)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1917 - 1954

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, composer, piano, songwriter, arranger

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

Recordings (Results 76-100 of 103 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick E29002 10-in. 12/20/1928 My Tonia Arnold Johnson ; Paramount Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) leader  
Brunswick E29003 10-in. 12/20/1928 My inspiration is you Arnold Johnson ; Paramount Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) leader  
Brunswick E29220 10-in. Feb. 1929 Tear drops Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) leader, composer  
Brunswick E29221 10-in. Feb. 1929 That’s music to my ears Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) leader  
Brunswick E29599 10-in. Apr. 1929 Breakaway Arnold Johnson Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) leader  
Brunswick E29700 10-in. Apr. 1929 Big city blues Arnold Johnson Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) leader  
Brunswick E29701 10-in. Apr. 1929 Tear drops Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) leader, composer  
Brunswick E29808 10-in. May 1929 Breakaway Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Brunswick E29809 10-in. May 1929 Big city blues Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader  
Brunswick E30096 10-in. June 1929 Don’t hang your dreams on a rainbow Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) leader, composer  
Brunswick E30097 10-in. June 1929 Pretty little maid of old Madrid Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) leader, songwriter  
Brunswick E26534-E26536 10-in. 2/16/1928 I‘m riding to glory Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quintet; without vocal (take E26536) leader  
Brunswick E26723-E26726 10-in. 2/28/1928 After my laughter came tears Harold Arluck ; Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal sextet; without vocal (take E26726) leader, arranger  
Brunswick E27035-E27037 10-in. 3/17/1928 Ma belle Arnold Johnson Orchestra ; Lewis James Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E27037) leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Brunswick E27038-E27040 10-in. 3/17/1928 March of the musketeers Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio; without vocal (take E27040) instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Brunswick E27127-E27129 10-in. 3/26/1928 Happy Go Lucky Lane Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal effects; without vocal (take E27129) leader, arranger  
Brunswick E27130-E27132 10-in. 3/26/1928 Together Arnold Johnson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal effects; without vocal (take E27132) leader, arranger  
Brunswick C4708 10-in. 11/6/1929 Hollywood Oriole Orchestra ; Dan A. Russo Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) composer  
Brunswick C4757 10-in. 11/27/1929 Hollywood Oriole Orchestra ; Dan A. Russo Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) composer  
Edison 5553 10-in. 5/10/1917 Johnson "jass" blues Frisco "Jass" Band Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 7155 10-in. 2/10/1920 "O" (Oh!) Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison 7782 10-in. 2/8/1921 All for you Harry Raderman's Jazz Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 8013 10-in. 5/24/1921 Sweetheart Max Fells' Della Robbia Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 19198 10-in. 5/17/1929 Tear drops Oreste Queensland Orchestra ; The Rollickers [Edison] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet composer  
Edison 19284 10-in. 7/9/1929 Don't hang your dreams on a rainbow Waldo Mayo Violin solo, with instrumental ensemble and mixed vocal ensemble composer  
(Results 76-100 of 103 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Johnson, Arnold," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110539.

Johnson, Arnold. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110539.

"Johnson, Arnold." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110539

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