Plas Johnson facts for kids

Plas John Johnson Jr., born on July 21, 1931, is a famous American musician. He plays the saxophone, especially the tenor saxophone. He is most well-known for playing the saxophone solo on the super famous song "The Pink Panther Theme" by Henry Mancini. Plas also plays other instruments like the alto and baritone saxophones, flutes, and clarinets.

Plas Johnson's Musical Journey

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Plas Johnson was born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, in the United States. When he was young, he sang with his family's music group. His father, who was also a saxophonist, bought him a soprano saxophone. Plas mostly taught himself how to play. He quickly learned the alto saxophone and then the tenor saxophone.

In the late 1940s, Plas and his brother Ray, who played piano, made their first recordings together in New Orleans. They were known as the Johnson Brothers. In 1951, Plas went on tour with the R&B singer Charles Brown.

Moving to Los Angeles and Becoming a Session Musician

After serving in the army, Plas and his brother moved to Los Angeles in 1954. There, Plas quickly became a full-time session musician. This means he played instruments on recordings for many different artists. He played for famous musicians like B.B. King and Johnny Otis, and many other R&B performers.

A big supporter of Plas was Maxwell Davis. Maxwell hired Plas to play his own parts so Maxwell could focus on producing music for the Modern record label.

Playing for Famous Stars

In the mid-1950s, Plas was hired by Capitol Records. He played on countless records for stars like Peggy Lee, Nat "King" Cole, and Frank Sinatra. For almost 20 years, Plas was one of the top session players. He often played on two recording sessions a day! He played all kinds of music, from movie soundtracks to rock and roll songs by artists like Ricky Nelson. He also played on many songs by The Beach Boys.

Plas was also a key part of many instrumental groups that were just names for records, like B. Bumble and the Stingers. He is even featured in a 2008 movie called "The Wrecking Crew (2008 film)". This movie is about the amazing studio musicians in Los Angeles during that time. Sometimes, to avoid problems with his contracts, Plas recorded under a different name: Johnny Beecher.

The Pink Panther Theme

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Plas was a regular member of Henry Mancini's studio orchestra. In 1963, he recorded the famous "The Pink Panther Theme". Henry Mancini actually wrote the song with Plas in mind!

Plas said about recording the song: "We only did two takes, I think... When we finished, everyone applauded -- even the string players. And that's saying something... They never applaud for anything." This shows how special that recording was.

Later Career and Jazz Performances

In 1970, Plas joined the band for "The Merv Griffin Show", a popular TV talk show. He also played with many jazz and swing bands. He recorded for the Concord label and toured with the Gene Harris Superband in 1990. Plas has performed at many jazz festivals, sharing his incredible talent with audiences around the world.

Plas Johnson's Music

Plas Johnson has released many albums as a leader or co-leader. He also played on countless songs for other artists.

Albums as a Leader

• Plas Johnson (1956)
• Rockin' with Plas: The Capitol Singles (1982)
• This Must Be the Plas (1959)
• Mood for the Blues (1961)
• The Blues (1975)
• Positively (1976)
• Hot, Blue and Saxy (1992)
• Evening Delight (1999)
• Keep That Groove Going! with Red Holloway (2001)

As Johnny Beecher

• Sax 5th Ave. (1962)
• On the Scene (1962)

Playing for Other Artists

Plas Johnson was a very busy session musician. He played on albums for many famous artists, including:

• Sam Cooke (on albums like Twistin' the Night Away)
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Marvin Gaye (on Let's Get It On)
• Elton John
• B.B. King
• Carole King
• Peggy Lee
• Joni Mitchell
• Aaron Neville
• Linda Ronstadt
• Boz Scaggs
• Steely Dan (on The Royal Scam)
• Rod Stewart
• Tom Waits