Johnson, Bill (actually, William)
Johnson, Bill (actually, William)
Johnson, Bill (actually, William), jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger; b. Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 30, 1912; N.Y., July 5, 1960. Originally a pianist, he played alto sax when he was 16. He worked with Smiling Billy Steward’s Celery City Serenaders and C. S. Belton’s Band. Johnson studied at Wise. Cons., 111. Cons., and Marquette Univ. While in Milwaukee, he worked with Jimmy Dudley and Jabbo Smith, subsequently playing with Sam Marshall, Baron Lee, and Tiny Brad-shaw; he also joined Erskine Hawkins from 1936-43. Johnson arranged many great numbers for Hawkins and was co- composer of “Tuxedo Junction” He later moved to Canada, eventually returning to N.Y. where he died of a lung ailment.
—John Chilton, Who’s Who of Jazz /Lewis Porter