0
Joe Wilder
Joe Wilder
American trumpeter
1
J. J. Johnson
J. J. Johnson
American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger (1924-2001)
2
Isidore Barbarin
Isidore Barbarin
American jazz cornet
3
Wendell Marshall
Wendell Marshall
American jazz musician; double bassist
4
Osie Johnson
Osie Johnson
American jazz drummer, arranger and singer
5
Monk Montgomery
Monk Montgomery
American jazz bassist
6
George Lewis
George Lewis
American musician
7
Hal McKusick
Hal McKusick
American jazz flautist and saxophonist
8
Frank Wess
Frank Wess
American saxophonist and flautist, composer and arranger
9
Cecil Payne
Cecil Payne
American jazz saxophonist
10
Bill Coleman
Bill Coleman
American musician
11
Jo Jones
Jo Jones
American jazz drummer
12
Buck Clayton
Buck Clayton
American jazz trumpeter
13
Sabu Martinez
Sabu Martinez
American musician
14
Kai Winding
Kai Winding
Danish-born American jazz musician and trombonist
15
James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson
American pianist and composer
16
Nat Pierce
Nat Pierce
American musician
17
Edmond Hall
Edmond Hall
American jazz clarinetist
18
Teddy Wilson
Teddy Wilson
American pianist (1912-1986)
19
Bunk Johnson
Bunk Johnson
American musician
20
Pee Wee Russell
Pee Wee Russell
American musician
21
Big Joe Turner
Big Joe Turner
American blues shouter
22
Bill Evans
Bill Evans
American jazz pianist
23
Jimmy Heath
Jimmy Heath
American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger and big band leader
24
Red Mitchell
Red Mitchell
American jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet
25
Harry Edison
Harry Edison
American trumpeter
26
Paul Barbarin
Paul Barbarin
American musician
27
Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
American jazz saxophonist and composer
28
Red Callender
Red Callender
American string bass and tuba player, member of The Wrecking Crew
29
Sammy Price
Sammy Price
American pianist
30
Freddie Redd
Freddie Redd
American pianist
31
Art Farmer
Art Farmer
American jazz trumpeter
32
Bennie Green
Bennie Green
American musician
33
Clifford Brown
Clifford Brown
American jazz musician
34
Sonny Greer
Sonny Greer
American jazz drummer
35
Max Roach
Max Roach
American jazz percussionist, drummer, and composer
36
Milt Jackson
Milt Jackson
American musician
37
Paul Chambers
Paul Chambers
American musician
38
Johnnie Johnson
Johnnie Johnson
American musician
39
Kenny Clarke
Kenny Clarke
American jazz drummer
40
Benny Powell
Benny Powell
American jazz trombonist
41
Manny Albam
Manny Albam
musician and composer
42
Budd Johnson
Budd Johnson
American musician
43
Jane Russell
Jane Russell
American actress and model (1921-2011)
44
Illinois Jacquet
Illinois Jacquet
American jazz tenor saxophonist, songwriter
45
Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton
American ragtime and jazz pianist, bandleader and composer
46
Nat Adderley
Nat Adderley
American recording artist; jazz cornet and trumpet player
47
Wild Bill Davis
Wild Bill Davis
American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger
48
Mercer Ellington
Mercer Ellington
American musician
49
Claude Hopkins
Claude Hopkins
American pianist
50
Alcide "Slow Drag" Pavageau
Alcide "Slow Drag" Pavageau
New Orleans jazz musician
51
Mulgrew Miller
Mulgrew Miller
American pianist
52
J. C. Higginbotham
J. C. Higginbotham
Jazz trombonist
53
Bobby Donaldson
Bobby Donaldson
American musician
54
Lucky Thompson
Lucky Thompson
American saxophonist
55
Barry Galbraith
Barry Galbraith
American guitarist
56
Victoria Spivey
Victoria Spivey
American blues singer and songwriter
57
Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
American jazz musician
58
Thad Jones
Thad Jones
American jazz trumpeter
59
Ben Webster
Ben Webster
American saxophonist
60
Percy Heath
Percy Heath
American musician
61
Money Johnson
Money Johnson
American musician
62
Billy Bauer
Billy Bauer
American jazz guitarist
63
Pete Johnson
Pete Johnson
American boogie-woogie and jazz pianist, songwriter
64
Bob Brookmeyer
Bob Brookmeyer
American jazz valve trombonist, pianist, arranger, and composer
65
Bud Freeman
Bud Freeman
American musician
66
Slide Hampton
Slide Hampton
American trombonist
67
Jack Teagarden
Jack Teagarden
American jazz musician
68
Herbie Nichols
Herbie Nichols
American musician
69
Charlie Shavers
Charlie Shavers
jazz trumpeter
70
Lonnie Pitchford
Lonnie Pitchford
American musician
71
Ruby Braff
Ruby Braff
American musician
72
George Russell
George Russell
American pianist and composer
73
Paul Smith
Paul Smith
jazz pianist from the United States
74
Russell Garcia
Russell Garcia
American composer
75
Lu Watters
Lu Watters
American mineral collector, jazz trumpeter, bandleader
76
Sam Taylor
Sam Taylor
American jazz and blues saxophonist
77
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
American jazz singer
78
Boyd Raeburn
Boyd Raeburn
American musician
79
Cyrus St. Clair
Cyrus St. Clair
American jazz tubist and double bassist
80
Bill Crow
Bill Crow
American bassist
81
Shadow Wilson
Shadow Wilson
American jazz drummer (1919-1959)
Bill Johnson
American musician and banjoist

Bill Johnson

Intro
American musician and banjoist
Genres
Music

William K. Johnson (died August 13, 1955) was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and vocalist.

Johnson was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, where he played locally until relocating to New York in 1926. There he worked with the Dixie Ramblers and George Howe, then joined Luis Russell's orchestra in 1927. He remained with Russell until 1932 and during this time recorded with King Oliver, Red Allen, and Jack Purvis. He worked with Fess Williams in 1933-1934 and continued working actively until the end of the 1930s. After retiring from music he moved back to Lexington; in 1955 he died in a house fire.

He is often confused with William Manuel Johnson, a jazz bassist, in published works.