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Johnny Ace
One Of The Early Black Pioneers Of Mainstream Rock 'N Roll, Johnny Ace, Was Born June 9, 1929, In Memphis, Tennessee.
Born John Marshall Alexander, After Serving In The Navy During World War I, Alexander Joined Adolph Duncan's Band As a Pianist. He Then Joined The B. B. King Band, Which Also Featured Bobby Bland. King Left For Los Angeles And Bobby Bland Joined The Army. Alexander Took Over Vocals And Renamed The Band The Beale Streeters -- Also Taking Over King's WDIA Radio Show.
In 1952, John Marshall Alexander Became Johnny Ace And Signed With Duke Records.
"My Song," His first Recording, Topped The R&B Charts for Nine Weeks In September ("My Song" Was Covered By Aretha Franklin In 1968).
Ace Toured With Blues Legend, Willa Mae "Big Mama" Thornton And In Two Years Had Eight Hits In A Row Including "Cross My Heart," "Please Forgive Me," "The Clock," "Yes, Baby" And "Never Let Me Go (A Song Covered By Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions And Luther Vandross)."
Ace Recorded A Song In 1954 Written By Robey And Ferdinand Washington Called "Pledging My Love." On Christmas Eve of That Year, While Backstage At The City Auditorium In Houston, Texas, It's Rumored That Ace Was Playing Russian Roulette And Accidentally Shot Himself.
"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.
Johnny Ace Died Christmas Day And His Song, "Pledging My Love," Went On To Become One Of The Biggest Hits of 1955.
Early In 1955, Duke Records Announced That Three 1954 Johnny Ace Recordings, Along With Thornton's "Hound Dog," Had Sold More Than 1,750,000 Records.
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
Posted By: Hugh Gaddy
Tuesday, June 9th 2009 at 2:17AM
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I am amazed at the great articles that you present.
Thank you very much.
Thursday, August 20th 2009 at 8:32PM
Cynthia Polk
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Cynthia, THANK YOU, VERY MUCH, For Reading The Posts... I SINCERELY APPRECIATE IT! :-)
Thursday, August 20th 2009 at 9:26PM
Hugh Gaddy
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Your Scholastic Blogs are the First that I look at at Sign In.
Thank you for your work
Monday, October 12th 2009 at 9:40AM
robert powell
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Robert THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, For your kind words!! I know there are other things you could be doing, besides reading my blogs each day ...LOL So, I SINCERELY APPRECIATE the time time you take to do so!!
Monday, October 12th 2009 at 9:47AM
Hugh Gaddy
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I concur with Robert.... Your posts are the first thing I look at.... And they are the most resourceful.... I had forgotten about him... Keep the past alive Gaddy!!!!
Tuesday, April 20th 2010 at 7:35AM
Cynthia Merrill Artis
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Good post!!! Keep up the good work!!!
Sunday, May 2nd 2010 at 7:43PM
Siebra Muhammad
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DO YOU HAVE ANY GIL SCOTT HERON !
Tuesday, September 7th 2010 at 10:40PM
DAVID JOHNSON
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D, the person to ask on Mr. Heron is our brother Clark Maxwell... He's a huge fan!!!
Wednesday, September 8th 2010 at 5:42PM
Siebra Muhammad
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Memories are made of this(smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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