(February 19th 1897 - August 20th 1937)

Born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1897, Johnny Dunn was a trumpeter who was discovered by W.C. Handy in 1916. He played with Handy's band until 1920 when he left bound for New York City to assume control of Mamie Smith's "Jazz Hounds". After leaving Mamie's group in the early '20's he went on to form his own "Original Jazz Hounds" featuring singer Edith Wilson. Dunn also worked frequently with other musicians such as Perry Bradford and Noble Sissle during the period. While on tour in London, England in 1927 the trumpeter recorded with the "Plantation Orchestra", the "Southern Syncopated Orchestra" with Sidney Bechet, and "Noble Sissle's Orchestra". Upon returning to the U.S. in 1928 Led some memorable recordings featuring jazz piano greats Jelly Roll Morton, Willie "The Lion" Smith, and Fats Waller. But, soon Dunn left for Europe again with "Noble Sissle's Band" and later moved to the Denmark. Johnny Dunn would die in Paris from tuberculosis in 1937.