ArtistInfo

George W. Johnson

voc, US
Singer / Musician of Jazz
A.k.a. George Washington Johnson

(1846 - 1914) American comedian and whistler, born in slavery; the first Black to become widely known as a recording artist. Johnson had a small repertoire that he performed and recorded extensively in the 1890s. Five pieces were recorded, beginning in 1892 for New Jersey Phonograph Co. "The Whistling Coon", "The Laughing Song", "Laughing Coon" and "Whistling Girl", constituted his principal menu. They were made over and over again, for E. Berliner's Gramophone, Bettini, Columbia, Kansas City Talking Machine Co., Chicago Talking Machine Co., U.S. Everlasting Record, Zonophone Record, Victor and others. A fifth number , recorded only for Berliner, was the "Mocking Bird." The story that Johnson had been hanged for murdering his wife was disproved by Walsh, who documented that Johnson had been acquitted of that charge. b. Jan 1846, on a plantation in Virginia, USA d. 23 January, 1914, New York, USA

Genres

• Jazz
• Soundtrack
• Pop
• Brass