Johnny Ace
The senseless death of young pianist Johnny Ace while indulging in a round of Russian roulette backstage at Houston's City Auditorium on Christmas Day of 1954 tends to overshadow his relatively brief but illustrious recording career on Duke Records. That's a pity, for Ace's gentle, plaintive vocal balladry deserves reverence on its own merit, not because of the scandalous fallout resulting from his tragic demise.
John Marshall Alexander was a member in good standing of the Beale Streeters, a loosely knit crew of Memphis young bloods that variously included B.B. King, Bobby Bland, and Earl Forest. Signing with local DJ Mattis' fledgling Duke logo in 1952, the re-christened Ace hit the top of the R&B charts his very first time out with the mellow ballad "My Song." From then on, Ace could do no musical wrong, racking up hit after hit for Duke in the same smooth, urbane style. "Cross My Heart," "The Clock," "Saving My Love for You," "Please Forgive Me," and "Never Let Me Go" all dented the uppermost reaches of the charts. And then, with one fatal gunshot, all that talent was lost forever (weepy tribute records quickly emerged by Frankie Ervin, Johnny Fuller, Varetta Dillard, and the Five Wings).
Ace scored his biggest hit of all posthumously. His haunting "Pledging My Love" (cut with Johnny Otis & His Orchestra in support) remained atop Billboard's R&B lists for ten weeks in early 1955. One further hit, "Anymore," exhausted Duke's stockpile of Ace masters, so they tried to clone the late pianist's success by recruiting Johnny's younger brother (St. Clair Alexander) to record as Buddy Ace. When that didn't work out, Duke boss Don Robey took singer Jimmy Lee Land, renamed him Buddy Ace, and recorded him all the way into the late '60s.
© Bill Dahl /TiVo
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Pledging My Love (Billboard Hot 100 - No 17)
R&B - Erschienen bei Music Manager am 13.11.2020
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The Complete Duke Recordings
R&B - Erschienen bei Hip-O Select am 01.01.2004
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All the Best
Country - Erschienen bei Vintage Jukebox am 10.01.2020
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1951-1954
Blues - Erschienen bei Classics Blues & Rhythm Series am 04.08.2008
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Pledging My Love - No Money
Blues - Erschienen bei Tampete am 17.12.1954
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The Best of Johnny Ace
Soul - Erschienen bei Vintage Jukebox am 03.12.2019
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Essential Masters
Rock - Erschienen bei Burning Fire am 22.01.2008
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Ace's Wild! The Complete Solo Sides and Sessions
Blues - Erschienen bei Fantastic Voyage am 17.07.2012
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R&B Originals - My Song
Soul - Erschienen bei Ap music am 21.05.2012
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Listen My Shuffle (Remastered) (Johnny Ace)
R&B - Erschienen bei Underground Inside Records am 08.07.2016
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Greatest Hits
Pop - Erschienen bei Vintage Jukebox am 20.04.2018
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Pledge My Love To You
Blues - Erschienen bei Reminisce Music am 29.05.2023
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The Best Of Christmas Holidays (Fantastic Relaxing Songs) (Remastered)
Pop - Erschienen bei Underground Inside Records am 01.12.2016
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Me Myself and My Songs (Remastered)
R&B - Erschienen bei Underground Inside Records am 24.06.2016
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My Happy Heaven (Remastered)
R&B - Erschienen bei Underground Inside Records am 11.03.2016
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Memorial Album for Johnny Ace
R&B - Erschienen bei Milestones Records am 09.04.2020
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Memorial Album For Johnny Ace
Soul - Erschienen bei PnR am 01.01.2000
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