Johnny Ace

Born: John Marshall Alexander, Jr. - Born: June 9, 1929 - Memphis, Tennessee
Died: December 25, 1954 - Houston,TX --

He died by committing suicide by playing Russian Roulette backstage, at the City Auditorium in Houston during a break during a Christmas Eve show. He died December 25, 1954.

The Flair and Duke recordings were done with the Johnny Otis Orchestra or the the Johnny Board Band (Ace's touring band). Most songs listed have seductive vibraphone parts. Johnny Ace recorded music in a unique style often called "heart" music. Johnny's music is transitional from jazz, inspired by Johnny Otis, to rhythm and blues.

Johnny Ace - vocalist, piano; Johnny Otis - vibraphone

(Flair 1015 1951) Midnight Hours Journey
(Duke 107 1952) Cross My Heart
(Duke 118 1953) Saving My Love for You
(Duke 128 1953) You've Been Gone So Long / Please Forgive Me
(Duke 136 1954) Pledging My Love
(Duke 144 1954) Anymore
(Duke 148 1954) So Lonely
(Duke 154 1954) Still Love You So

Johnny Ace - vocalist, piano - without vibraphone

(Sun UNISS 1952) Remember I Love You
(Sun UNISS 1952) I Cried Last Night
(Duke 107 1952) Angel / Follow the Rule
(Duke 102 1952) My Song
(Duke 112 1953) The Clock / Aces Wild
(Duke 132 1954) Burley Cutie (Instrumental) / Never Let Me Go
(Duke 136 1954) No Money
(Duke 144 1954) How Can You Be So Mean
(Duke 148 1954) I'm Crazy Baby
(Duke 154 1954) Don't You Know
(Duke vinyl LP 71 1957 "Memorial Album - Johnny Ace") -- tracks: Pledging My Love; Don't You Know; Never Let Me Go; So Lonely; I'm Crazy Baby; My Song; Saving My Love for You; The Clock; How Can You Be So Mean; Still Love You So; Cross My Heart; Anymore
A reissue of earlier works; his Memorial Album is considered a wonderful collection of his best recordings. The Memorial Album II (2) has the Playing Card cover.

Beale Streeters

"The Beale Streeters:" An ad-hoc, loosely-knit, group of Memphis musicians. The group formed during the late 1940s, early 1950s. Members drifted in and out of the group and rarely recorded together. Often, two or three members of the group teamed up to record a song, then continued to pursue a solo career. The "Beale Streeters" was a name coined by memphis radio station WDIA's program director - James David Mattis. Mr. James David Mattis also founded the Duke record company.

Members of the loosely-knit Beale Streeters inlcuded, from time to time, the following recording artists:

BB King (vocals, guitar)
Big Mama Thornton (vocals)
Bobby "Blue" Bland (vocals)
Earl Forest (drummer and singer)
- Earl Forest (drums) with the Beale Streeters (Duke 103 1953) Baby, Baby / Rock the Bottle
- Earl Forest (drums) with the Beale Streeters (Duke 108 1953) Whoopin' and Hollerin' / Pretty Bessie
Ike Turner (piano, guitar)
Johnny Ace (vocals, piano)
Junior Parker (vocals)
Roscoe Gordon (vocals, piano)