Editing Johnny Ace (section)

==Life and career==
John Alexander was born in [[Memphis, Tennessee]] to Leslie Newsome and preacher John Marshall Alexander,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://doi.org/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1803036 |title=Ace, Johnny |last=Salem |first=James M. |website=American National Biography |year=2000 |publisher=Oxford University Press |doi=10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1803036 |access-date=August 22, 2022}}</ref>  and grew up near [[LeMoyne-Owen College]]. He dropped out of high school to join the [[United States Navy]]. Alexander was reportedly [[AWOL]] for much of his duty.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Jordan|first=Mark|date=December 23–29, 1999|title=The Late Great Johnny Ace|url=https://www.memphisflyer.com/backissues/issue566/cvr566.htm|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=The Memphis Flyer}}</ref> After he was discharged,<ref name=":0" /> Alexander joined Adolph Duncan's Band as a [[pianist]], playing around [[Beale Street]] in Memphis. The network of local musicians became known as [[the Beale Streeters]], which included [[B.B. King|B. B. King]], [[Bobby Bland]], [[Junior Parker]], [[Earl Forest]], and [[Roscoe Gordon]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Beale Streeters {{!}} Biography & History|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/beale-streeters-mn0000753584|access-date=June 10, 2020|website=AllMusic|language=en-us}}</ref> Initially, they weren't an official band, but at times there was a leader and they played on each other's records.

In 1951, [[Ike Turner]], a talent scout and producer for [[Modern Records]], arranged for Alexander and other Beale Streeters to record for Turner's label.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Salem|first=James M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bNIN6UB5G_EC&q=%22Mid+Night+Hours+Journey%22+ike+turner+johnny+ace|title=The Late, Great Johnny Ace and the Transition from R & B to Rock 'n' Roll'|date=2001|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=978-0-252-06969-7|pages=37|language=en}}</ref> Alexander played piano on some of King's records for [[RPM Records (United States)|RPM Records]] and backed King during broadcasts on [[WDIA]] in Memphis. When King departed for [[Los Angeles]] and Bland left the group, Alexander took over both Bland's vocal duties and King's radio show on WDIA.<ref>{{cite book|title=Deep Blues|author=Robert Palmer|year=1981|author-link=Robert Palmer (American writer)|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|page=[https://archive.org/details/deepblues00palm/page/230 230]|isbn=978-0-14-006223-6|url=https://archive.org/details/deepblues00palm/page/230}}</ref>

David James Mattis, program director at WDIA and founder of [[Duke Records]], claimed that he gave Alexander the [[stage name]] of Johnny Ace:  "Johnny" for Johnny Ray and "Ace" for [[the Four Aces]], but Alexander's younger brother St. Clair Alexander claimed that the singer himself came up with the name Ace when Mattis changed his first name from John to Johnny.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Salem|first=James M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bNIN6UB5G_EC&q=beale+streeters|title=The Late, Great Johnny Ace and the Transition from R & B to Rock 'n' Roll'|date=2001|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=978-0-252-06969-7|pages=39|language=en}}</ref>

Ace signed to Duke in 1952 and released his first recording, "[[My Song (Johnny Ace song)|My Song]]", an urbane "heart ballad" which [[List of number-one rhythm and blues hits (United States)#1952|topped the R&B chart]] for nine weeks beginning in September.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=September 27, 1952|title=Best Selling Retail Rhythm & Blues Records|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1952/Billboard%201952-09-27.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=40}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=22 |isbn= 0-89820-160-8}}</ref> He began heavy [[concert tour|touring]], often with [[Big Mama Thornton|Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton]]. In the next two years, Ace had eight hits in a row, including "Cross My Heart", "Please Forgive Me", "The Clock", "Yes, Baby", "Saving My Love for You", and "[[Never Let Me Go (Johnny Ace song)|Never Let Me Go]]".<ref>{{cite web|author=Dahl, Bill |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-ace-mn0000817000/biography |title=Johnny Ace &#124; Biography |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=September 6, 2015}}</ref>

After Ace had success as a solo artist, the [[Bihari brothers|Biharis brothers]] at Modern released the single "Mid Night Hours Journey" on their subsidiary label [[Flair Records]] in September 1953. The flip side was "Trouble and Me" by Earl Forest.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=September 19, 1953|title=Top Rhythm & Blues Records|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1953/Billboard%201953-09-19.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=39}}</ref>

In November 1954, Ace ranked No. 16 on the [[Billboard magazine|''Billboard'']] 1954 Disk Jockey Poll for R&B Favorite Artists.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=November 13, 1954|title=The Billboard 1954 Disk Jockey Poll: R&B Favorites...Artists|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/50s/1954/Billboard%201954-11-13.pdf|magazine=Billboard|pages=96}}</ref> In December 1954, he was named the Most Programmed Artist of 1954, according to the results of a national poll of [[disc jockey]]s conducted by the U.S. trade weekly ''[[Cash Box magazine|Cash Box]]''.<ref>Warner, Jay (2006). ''On This Day in Black Music History''. Hal Leonard. {{ISBN|0-634-09926-4}}.</ref> Ace's recordings sold very well during those times. Early in 1955, Duke Records announced that three of his 1954 recordings, along with Thornton's "[[Hound Dog (song)|Hound Dog]]", had sold more than 1,750,000 copies.