Johnny Ace
One Of The Early Black Pioneers Of Mainstream Rock 'N Roll, Johnny Ace, Was Born June 9, 1929, In Memphis, Tennessee.
Born John Marshall Alexander, After Serving In The Navy During World War I, Alexander Joined Adolph Duncan's Band As a Pianist. He Then Joined The B. B. King Band, Which Also Featured Bobby Bland. King Left For Los Angeles And Bobby Bland Joined The Army. Alexander Took Over Vocals And Renamed The Band The Beale Streeters -- Also Taking Over King's WDIA Radio Show.
In 1952, John Marshall Alexander Became Johnny Ace. He Signed With Duke Records In 1952.
"My Song," His first Recording, Topped The R&B Charts for Nine Weeks In September ("My Song" Was Covered By Aretha Franklin In 1968).
Ace Toured With Blues Legend, Willa Mae "Big Mama" Thornton And In Two Years Had Eight Hits In A Row Including "Cross My Heart," "Please Forgive Me," "The Clock," "Yes, Baby" And "Never Let Me Go (A Song Covered By Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions And Luther Vandross)."
Ace Recorded A Song In 1954 Written By Robey And Ferdinand Washington Called "Pledging My Love." On Christmas Eve of That Year, While Backstage At The City Auditorium In Houston, Texas, It's Rumored That Ace Was Playing Russian Roulette And Accidentally Shot Himself.
"Big Mama" Thornton, A Witness To The Shooting, Said In A Written Statement (Included In The Book, The Late Great Johnny Ace) That Ace Had Been Playing With The Gun, But Not Playing Russian Roulette. According to Thornton, Ace Pointed The Gun At His Girlfriend And Another Woman Who Were Sitting Nearby, But Did Not Fire. He Then Pointed The gun Toward Himself. The Gun Went Off, Shooting Him In The Side Of The Head.
Johnny Ace Died Christmas Day And His Song, "Pledging My Love," Went On To Become One Of The Biggest Hits of 1955.
Early In 1955, Duke Records Announced That Three 1954 Johnny Ace Recordings, Along With Thornton's "Hound Dog," Had Sold More Than 1,750,000 Records.
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
