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Johnny Ace

 


Johnny Ace | Image: Rivers Invitation | 25027

John Marshall Alexander, whose performing name was Johnny Ace, was born in Memphis, Tennessee on June 9, 1929 and dropped out of school to join the US Navy. After discharge in 1951 he came to the attention of Íke Turner who recorded him with B. B. King, and he became a regular pianist on B. B. King’s radio broadcasts with Memphis station WDIA. In 1952 he signed with Duke Records.

Johnny Ace died on December 25, 1954 in Houston, Texas by a gun wound in disputed circumstances. Ace’s funeral was on January 9, 1955 in Memphis and was attended by an estimated 5,000 people. "Pledging my love" was issued after his death and became a number one R&B hit for ten weeks beginning February 12, 1955.

His recording "Pledging My Love", which reached US Pop No. 17, R&B No. 1,  in 1955, was included in ILP 976 “The Duke and the Peacock”.


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