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Johnny Ace (June 9, 1929 – December 25, 1954), born John Marshall Alexander, Jr. in South Memphis, Tennessee, the son of a preacher, was one of the stars of U.S. rhythm and blues singing. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... For other uses, see Memphis (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar). ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Duke Records was a record label started in 1952 by David J. Mattis and Bill Fitzgerald. ... is the 160th day of the year (161st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar). ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... R&B redirects here. ...

Career

After serving in the navy during World War II, Alexander joined Adolph Duncan's Band as a pianist. He then joined the B. B. King band. Soon King departed for Los Angeles and Bobby Bland joined the army. Alexander took over vocal duties and renamed the band The Beale Streeters,^[1] also taking over King's WDIA radio show. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... B. B. King (born Riley B. King on September 16, 1925) is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Bobby Blue Bland was born Robert Calvin Bland, January 27, 1930,[1] in Rosemark, Tennessee) and is an influencial African-American singer, and an original member of The Beale Streeters. ... WDIA is an AM radio station in Memphis, TN. Similar to the Orange Mound neighborhood in Memphis, it was the first ever American radio station programmed by Negroes. ...

Becoming "Johnny Ace", he signed to Duke Records (originally a Memphis label associated with WDIA) in 1952. My Song, his first recording, topped the R&B charts for nine weeks in September. (My Song was covered in 1968 by Aretha Franklin.) Duke Records was a record label started in 1952 by David J. Mattis and Bill Fitzgerald. ... Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. ...

Ace began heavy touring, often with Willa Mae "Big Mama" Thornton. In the next two years, he had eight hits in a row, including "Cross My Heart," "Please Forgive Me," "The Clock," "Yes, Baby." and "Never Let Me Go." In December, 1954 he was named the Most Programmed Artist Of 1954 after a national DJ poll organized by U.S. trade weekly Cash Box. Willa Mae (Big Mama) Thornton (December 11, 1926 – July 25, 1984) was an American Blues and R&B singer. ... Cash Box magazine was a weekly publication devoted to the music and coin-operated machine industry. ...

Ace's recordings sold very well for those times. Early in 1955, Duke Records announced that the three 1954 Johnny Ace recordings, along with Thornton's "Hound Dog", had sold more than 1,750,000 records.

Death

After touring for a year, Ace had been performing at the City Auditorium in Houston, Texas on Christmas 1954. During a break between sets, high on angel dust (PCP) Ace allegedly decided to play a game of Russian Roulette. He aimed a .45 caliber revolver at his girlfriend, Olivia Gibbs, and pulled the trigger. He then attempted to shoot her friend, Mary Carter. Both times, the hammer fell on an empty chamber. He then swiftly turned the gun on himself and ended his life. Houston redirects here. ... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Russian roulette (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Revolver (disambiguation). ...

Big Mama Thornton, a witness to the shooting, said in a written statement (included in the book The Late Great Johnny Ace) that Ace had been playing with the gun, but not playing Russian Roulette. According to Thornton, Ace pointed the gun at his girlfriend and another woman who were sitting nearby, but did not fire. He then pointed the gun toward himself. The gun went off, shooting him in the side of the head. Willa Mae (Big Mama) Thornton (December 11, 1926 – July 25, 1984) was an American Blues and R&B singer. ...

There have also been accusations that record company owner Don D. Robey, with whom Ace had been trying to renegotiate his contract, was responsible for his death. Don D. Robey was a record label executive from Houston, Texas, the founder of Peacock Records and the owner of Duke Records. ...

Ace's funeral was on January 2, 1955, at Memphis' Clayborn Temple AME church. It was attended by an estimated 5000 people. is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ...

Tributes

Johnny Ace and "Pledging My Love" are mentioned in the early Sam Shepard one-act play Cowboy Mouth, co-written with Patti Smith. Johnny Ray is referenced in the final image of the play: the "Rock-n-Roll Saviour" appears, takes a revolver, points it at his head and pulls the trigger. The gun clicks on an empty chamber and the play ends. Sam Shepard (born November 5, 1943) is a unique American artist whose talents have been expressed in many different areas. ... This article is about the New Orleans rock band. ... Patricia Lee (Patti) Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American musician, singer, and poet. ...

An early scene in Charles Burnett's 1977 film, Killer of Sheep, includes the line "Going out like Johnny Ace." Charles Burnett (b. ... Killer of Sheep is a 1977 film that depicts the culture of urban African-Americans; the film is considered an alternative to Blaxploitation films. ...

Paul Simon wrote a song called "The Late Great Johnny Ace" (on his Hearts and Bones album) that references Johnny Ace's death as well as John Lennon's and John Kennedy's. He premiered the song to an audience during his famous reunion concert with Art Garfunkel in Central Park in 1981. A fan rushed the stage during the song and was quickly arrested. Simon then completed the song. The incident was shown on the concert video on HBO, but the song was excluded from the live album from that concert. Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, half of the folk-singing duo Simon and Garfunkel who continues a successful solo career. ... The Late Great Johnny Ace is a song by Paul Simon, which appears on his Hearts and Bones album. ... Hearts and Bones is a rock and roll album released in 1983 by Paul Simon. ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ... There have been several John Kennedys: John F. Kennedy, American president John F. Kennedy, Jr. ... Art Garfunkel in Bad Timing (1980) Arthur Ira Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941) is an American white gollywog and actor, best known as half of the folk duo Simon and Garfunkel. ... Central Park is a large public, urban park (843 acres, 3. ...

Rock band Dash Rip Rock has written, recorded and released a song named "Johnny Ace" which tells the story of Johnny Ace's life and death. Taking their name from a love interest of Elly Mays on The Beverly Hillbillies, Dash Rip Rock was formed as a three-piece rockabilly band in Baton Rouge, Louisiana during the summer of 1984. ...

Will Oldham (as Palace Music) released a 45 "Gezundeit/Let the Wires Ring" in 1995: the last verse of "Let the wires ring" mentions Johnny Ace's death. Will Oldham, a. ...

"Next wave wash your pretty face/ And keep in mind that Johnny Ace/ Was drunk, was fucked, was not on stage/ When he made that silly move he made/ And only after once dead we/ Adore him more, adore that money/ After when his corpse was cool/ That ugly memorable fool/ Who shot the Christmas spirit down/ And lit a fame, that half-made clown."

(full lyrics: http://pry.com/pulpit/lyrics/wiresring.html)

His biggest song, the haunting Pledging My Love, became a hit posthumously in 1955. His single sides were compiled and released as The Johnny Ace Memorial Album. Pledging My Love is a popular song. ...

David Allan Coe released his tribute version of "Pledging My Love" first on the 1981 album 'Tennessee Whiskey' and then later on his 1990 album 'Headed For The Country'. “If That Aint Country” redirects here. ...

He is one of the names mentioned in the television adaptation of Stephen King's short story You Know They Got a Hell of a Band from Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Ace is one of the late musical legends set to appear on stage. For other persons named Stephen King, see Stephen King (disambiguation). ... You Know They Got a Hell of a Band is a short story by Stephen King. ... Nightmares & Dreamscapes is a short story collection by Stephen King published in 1993. ...

"The Night Johnny Ace Died," a short fiction by James Lee Burke, appears in the March 2007 issue of Esquire magazine. James Lee Burke is an American author best known for his mysteries, particularly the Dave Robicheaux series. ... Esquire is a magazine for men owned by the Hearst Corporation. ...

Squirrel Nut Zippers has a song on their Christmas album, Christmas Caravan, called "A Johnny Ace Christmas" in reference to the night he died. The Squirrel Nut Zippers are a Chapel Hill, North Carolina based Jazz band formed in 1993, who applied punks DIY aesthetic to early 20th century American popular music. ... Christmas Caravan is a Christmas album by jazz band Squirrel Nut Zippers. ...

Discography

• 1952 Remember I Love You (SUN, unissued)
• 1952 I Cried Last Night (SUN, unissued)
• 1952 My Song / Follow the Rule (Duke 102) - with Beale Streeters
• 1953 Cross my Heart / Angel (Duke 107) - with Beale Streeters
• 1953 The Clock / Aces Wild (Duke 112) - Ace playing piano
• 1954 Midnight Hours Journey / Trouble And Me (Earl Forrest) (rerelease of 1951 Flair 1015)
• 1954 Saving my Love for You / Yes, Yes, Baby (Duke 118)
• 1954 Please Forgive Me / You've Been Gone So Long (Duke 128)
• 1954 Never Let Me Go / Burley Cutie (Duke 132)
• 1954 Pledging My Love / No Money (Duke 136) (posthumous release, 12 Feb 1955) - #1 on R&B charts for 10 weeks, US pop charts #17.
• 1955 Anymore / How Can You Be So Mean (Duke 144) - 10" 78rpm
• 1956 So Lonely/ I'm Crazy Baby (Duke 148)
• 1956 Don't You Know / I Still Love You So (Duke 154)
• 1955 Johnny Ace Memorial Album (Duke LP-70) - 10" EP
• 1974 Johnny Ace Memorial Album (ABC/Duke DLPX71)

Duke Records was a record label started in 1952 by David J. Mattis and Bill Fitzgerald. ...

Sources

• Rolling Stone, "Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll". New York: 1995. ISBN 0-684-81044-1
• Dafydd Rees and Luke Crampton. "Rock Movers and Shakers". Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 1991. ISBN 0-87436-661-5
• ROCK ON: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock n' Roll: The Solid Gold Years: 1974, 1982: [[Thomas Y. Crowell Company, Harper & Row: New York, New York; ISBN 0-06-181642-6: p001.

Harper & Row is an imprint of HarperCollins. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ...

External links

• Johnny Ace Tribute
• Johnny Ace's Photo & Gravesite
• HIPO's Johnny Ace bio
• Johnny Ace Remembered
• Johnny Ace Story