About Us | Contact | Subscribe

Home: 20's Jazz

I'm A Ding Dong Daddy

Johnny Johnson & His Orchestra

Harry McDaniel, Johnny Johnson

Subscribe to 20's Jazz

Navigation:

Home

Back

More videos like this

This recording was made in New York City on August 19th 1930 by the "Johnny Johnson Orchestra" featuring personnel including Harry McDaniel vocals, and Johnny Johnson piano & director.

*"I'm a Ding Dong Daddy (from Dumas)" was composed by Phil Baxter.

Johnny Johnson was a pianist, organist, composer, and conductor who started his career playing both piano and organ at area night clubs, while attending Indiana University. His first job playing in a band was with the "Harry Yerkes Orchestra". In 1922 he formed his own band which was only mildly successful despite having some solid personnel such as Jack Teagarden, and for a short time Red Nichols. In 1926 he disbanded and joined "Ben Bernie's Lads" as their pianist. In the late '20's Johnson organized another band, but once again success was not to be. For financial reasons at the start of the 1930's Johnny Johnson switched from semi-hot jazz to pop music giving him a much greater opportunity to find work. Johnson disbanded his Orchestra for the last time in the early '40's and settled in New Jersey where he taught piano and organ while occasionally performing in local clubs.