Buddy Johnson

Woodrow Wilson "Buddy" Johnson, born January 10, 1915, in Darlington, South Carolina, was an American jump blues pianist and bandleader. He moved to New York City in 1938 and began recording for Decca Records in 1939 with his band, which included his sister Ella Johnson as vocalist. By 1941, he had a nine-piece orchestra and achieved several R&B and pop chart hits, notably "When My Man Comes Home" (Number 1 R&B, Number 18 pop, 1944). His orchestra remained a major touring attraction through the late 1940s and early 1950s, releasing notable albums such as Walkin' (1957) and Swing Me (1958). Johnson died on February 9, 1977, at the age of 62 from a brain tumor and sickle cell anemia in New York. He was inducted into the South Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2001.

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