Pioneer Rock Musician. He was the pianist whose popular early-1950s trio with Chess Records was the launching pad for a young guitarist named Chuck Berry, and he played a key role in the sound of Berry's genre-defining hits, such as "Rock and Roll Music" and "Roll Over Beethoven." One of Berry's best-known songs, "Johnny B. Goode," was written as a salute to Johnson, whose keyboard work often played equal partner on recordings. Later in his life, Johnson was championed by Rolling Stones guitarist-songwriter Keith Richards, who included Johnson on his debut solo album, "Talk Is Cheap," in his 1986, Berry tribute film "Hail! Hail! Rock & Roll", a personal tour in the 1980s and also had him on tour with the Stones' 1989-90 Steel Wheels tour. Johnson's contribution to rock's formative years was recognized in 2001, when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He died of natural causes at age 80.
Pioneer Rock Musician. He was the pianist whose popular early-1950s trio with Chess Records was the launching pad for a young guitarist named Chuck Berry, and he played a key role in the sound of Berry's genre-defining hits, such as "Rock and Roll Music" and "Roll Over Beethoven." One of Berry's best-known songs, "Johnny B. Goode," was written as a salute to Johnson, whose keyboard work often played equal partner on recordings. Later in his life, Johnson was championed by Rolling Stones guitarist-songwriter Keith Richards, who included Johnson on his debut solo album, "Talk Is Cheap," in his 1986, Berry tribute film "Hail! Hail! Rock & Roll", a personal tour in the 1980s and also had him on tour with the Stones' 1989-90 Steel Wheels tour. Johnson's contribution to rock's formative years was recognized in 2001, when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He died of natural causes at age 80.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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