Money Johnson


Harold "Money" Johnson was an American jazz trumpeter.

Early life

Johnson was born in Tyler, Texas, on February 23, 1918. He first played trumpet at age 15.

Later life and career

He moved to Oklahoma City in 1936 and jammed with Charlie Christian and Henry Bridges before joining Nat Towles'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, Cootie Williams, Lucky Millinder, and Bull Moose Jackson in the 1940s. His associations in the 1950s included Louis Jordan, Lucky Thompson, Sy Oliver, Buddy Johnson, Cozy Cole, Mercer Ellington, Little Esther, and Panama Francis.
In the 1960s Johnson played in the house band at the Apollo Theater in New York, and recorded with King Curtis in 1962. He toured the USSR 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 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

With Pearl Bailey
With Cozy Cole
With Buck Clayton
With King Curtis
With Duke Ellington
With Duke Ellington Orchestra / Mercer Ellington
With Louis Jordan
With Barbara Lewis
With Jack McDuff
With Bull Moose Jackson
With Lucky Millinder
With Houston Person
With Red Prysock
With Jesse Stone
With Lucky Thompson
With Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson
With Cootie Williams and His Orchestra