Gus Johnson

Q: When did Gus Johnson die?

Gus Johnson died on February 6, 2000.

Q: How old was Gus Johnson when they died?

Gus Johnson was 86 years old at the time of death.

Gus Johnson (November 15, 1913 – February 6, 2000) was an American swing drummer in various jazz bands, born in Tyler, Texas, United States. After learning to play drums from his next-door neighbor, Johnson occasionally played professionally at the age of ten in the Lincoln Theater, and performed in various local groups, most notable McDavid's Blue Rhythm Band. Upon graduating from Booker T. Washington High School, Johnson moved to Kansas City, where he took up drumming full-time. He joined Jay McShann's Orchestra in 1938, with his music career being interrupted by his conscription into the military in 1943.

In 1945, Johnson returned from his stint in the military and relocated to Chicago to perform in the Jesse Miller Band. Johnson played on Willie Dixon's debut album, Willie's Blues. He subsequently played alongside Count Basie and was recorded on the album, Basie Rides Again, in 1952. Following a recovery from appendicitis, Johnson was featured in numerous groups and dozens of recordings in the 1960s. In 1972, his former bandmates from Jay McShann's Orchestra reconvened to record Going to Kansas City. Although Johnson continued to tour into the 1980s, he developed Alzheimer's disease in 1989, which he struggled with until his death on February 6, 2000.

Discography

With Manny Albam

The Drum Suite (RCA Victor, 1956) with Ernie Wilkins
Jazz Goes to the Movies (Impulse!, 1962)

With Count Basie

Dance Session (Clef, 1953)
Basie Jazz (Clef, 1954)
Dance Session Album#2 (Clef, 1954)
Basie (Clef, 1954)
The Count! (Clef, 1955)
The Count Basie Story (Roulette, 1960)
Get Together (Pablo, 1979)

With Lawrence Brown

Inspired Abandon (Impulse!, 1965)

With Ray Bryant

Dancing the Big Twist (Columbia, 1961)

With Buck Clayton

Buck & Buddy Blow the Blues (Swingville, 1961) with Buddy Tate
Jam Session (Chiaroscuro, 1974)

With Rosemary Clooney

Rosemary Clooney Sings the Music of Irving Berlin (Concord, 1984)

With Al Cohn

Son of Drum Suite (RCA Victor, 1960)
Either Way (Fred Miles Presents, 1961) with Zoot Sims

With Willie Dixon and Memphis Slim

Willie's Blues (Bluesville, 1959)

With Ella Fitzgerald

Ella at Juan-Les-Pins (Verve, 1964)
Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert (Verve, 1958)
Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife (Verve, 1960)

With Coleman Hawkins

Night Hawk (Swingville, 1960)

With Johnny Hodges

Triple Play (RCA Victor, 1967)

With Lena Horne

Stormy Weather (RCA Victor, 1957)

With Willis Jackson

Really Groovin' (Prestige, 1961)
In My Solitude (Moodsville, 1961)

With Herbie Mann

Salute to the Flute (Epic, 1957)

With Gerry Mulligan

The Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Verve, 1962)
Spring Is Sprung (Philips, 1962)
Gerry Mulligan '63 (Verve, 1963)

With Joe Newman

Salute to Satch (RCA Victor, 1956)

With Chico O'Farrill

Nine Flags (Impulse!, 1966)

With Freda Payne

After the Lights Go Down Low and Much More!!! (Impulse!, 1964)

With Oscar Pettiford

The Oscar Pettiford Orchestra in Hi-Fi Volume Two (ABC-Paramount, 1957)

With Al Sears

Rockin' in Rhythm (Swingville, 1960) as The Swingville All-Stars with Taft Jordan and Hilton Jefferson

With Zoot Sims

The Modern Art of Jazz by Zoot Sims (Dawn, 1956)
Tonite's Music Today (Storyvile, 1956) with Bob Brookmeyer
Zoot Sims Plays Alto, Tenor, and Baritone (ABC-Paramount)

With The Staple Singers

Hammer and Nails (Rivers, 1962)

With Rex Stewart and Cootie Williams

The Big Challenge (Jazztone, 1957)

With Ralph Sutton and Ruby Braff

R & R (Chiaroscuro, 1979)
Remembered (DVD) (Arbors Records, 2004)

With Ralph Sutton and Jay McShann

Last of the Whorehouse Piano Players (Chaz Jazz, 1980) - originally released on 2 LPs as The Last of the Whorehouse Piano Players: Two Pianos Vol. I & Vol. II
Last of the Whorehouse Piano Players (Chiaroscuro, 1989)

With Ralph Sutton and Kenny Davern