Editing Johnny Ace

{{short description|American R&B singer (1929–1954)}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Lead too short|date=August 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name             = Johnny Ace
| image            = Johnny Ace photo.jpg
| caption          = Ace in 1954
| birth_name       = John Marshall Alexander Jr.
| birth_date       = {{birth date|1929|6|9}}
| birth_place      = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], U.S.
| death_date       = {{death date and age|1954|12|25|1929|6|9}}
| death_place      = [[Houston, Texas]], U.S.
| origin           = 
| genre            = [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]
| years_active     = 1949–1954
| label            = [[Duke Records|Duke]], [[Flair Records|Flair]]
| website          = 
| instrument       = Vocals, piano
| occupation       = Singer, musician
}}

'''John Marshall Alexander Jr.''' (June 9, 1929 – December 25, 1954), known by the stage name '''Johnny Ace''', was an American [[rhythm and blues|rhythm-and-blues]] singer. He had a string of hit singles in the mid-1950s. He emerged as a prominent figure in postwar R&B and gained fame with hits such as "My Song", "Cross My Heart", and "Pledging My Love". Ace's smooth vocal style and romantic ballads made him a popular artist, particularly on R&B radio stations and jukeboxes. At the height of his career, he toured extensively and was regarded as one of the most promising young stars in the genre.

However, his career was tragically cut short when he accidentally shot himself backstage during a concert on Christmas Day 1954 in Houston, Texas. His untimely death at age 25 cemented his legacy, and he remains a significant figure in early R&B history.

His influence extended beyond his lifetime, with later artists covering his songs and citing him as an inspiration. "[[Pledging My Love]]" became a posthumous hit and has been recorded by numerous musicians across different genres.

==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.

== Personal life ==
Ace met Lois Jean Palmer, a [[freshman]] at [[Booker T. Washington High School (Memphis, Tennessee)|Booker T. Washington High School]], in 1949.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Salem|first=James M.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bNIN6UB5G_EC&q=johnny+ace+married+Lois+Jean+Palmer&pg=PA19|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=19–20|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ambrose|first=Patrick|date=January 3, 2013|title=Playing Johnny Ace|url=https://themorningnews.org/article/playing-johnny-ace|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=The Morning News}}</ref> His parents did not know they were dating until she became pregnant. Ace and Palmer were married in [[Earle, Arkansas|Earle]], [[Arkansas]], on July 17, 1950; she was 16 and he was 21.<ref name=":1" /> Their son, Glenn Alexander, was born later that year. Ace moved Palmer into his parents' home in Memphis.<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 8, 2019|title=Ace lived fast, died young and entered music legend|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/today-in-history/johnny-ace-was-one-of-the-first-rockers-to-live-fast-and-die-young/news-story/4e840269eafdc2375713f6209723c999|access-date=June 11, 2020|website=Daily Telegraph|language=en}}</ref> Ace was barred from the home for playing blues music, so he mostly took residence at the Mitchell Hotel, owned by [[Sunbeam Mitchell]], in Memphis. He had another child with his wife, daughter Janet Alexander, but the couple were rarely together due to his [[womanizing]] lifestyle, and by 1953 he had abandoned his family.<ref name=":0" /> He also had another son named Larry Saunders, who became a singer.<ref name="Tillet">{{cite news |last=Tillet |first=Salamishah|author-link=Salamishah Tillet|date=July 20, 2021 |title=Nina Simone Saved Ledisi's Life. Now She's Paying Tribute on an Album |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/20/arts/music/ledisi-nina-simone.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 7, 2024}}</ref> Ace is also the biological grandfather of singer [[Ledisi]].<ref name="Tillet"/>

==Death==
After touring for a year, Ace had been performing at the City Auditorium in [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], [[Texas]], on [[Christmas|Christmas Day]] 1954. During a break between sets, he was playing with a [[.32 caliber]] [[revolver]]. Members of Ace's band said he did this often, sometimes shooting at roadside signs from their car.

It was widely reported that Ace killed himself playing [[Russian roulette]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Jackson|first1=Laura|title=Paul Simon: The Definitive Biography of the Legendary Singer/Songwriter|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RQ4rHEcdezkC|access-date=August 30, 2009|year=2003|publisher=[[Citadel Press]]|isbn=978-0-8065-2538-9|pages=12–13|chapter=Out of the Shadows|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RQ4rHEcdezkC&pg=PA12}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|date=January 8, 1955|title=Johnny Ace Is Victim of Russ Roulette|magazine=Billboard |page=14|issn=0006-2510}}</ref><ref name=pc4/> However, Curtis Tillman, who was Thornton's bass player, witnessed the event. Tillman later said: "I will tell you exactly what happened! Johnny Ace had been drinking and he had this little pistol he was waving around the table and someone said 'Be careful with that thing…' and he said 'It's okay! Gun's not loaded… see?' and pointed it at himself with a smile on his face and 'Bang!' — sad, sad thing. Big Mama ran out of the dressing room yelling 'Johnny Ace just killed himself!'"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.realbluesmagazine.com/Memorium.htm |title=realbluesmagazine.com |publisher=realbluesmagazine.com |access-date=September 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110118005124/http://www.realbluesmagazine.com/Memorium.htm |archive-date=January 18, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Big Mama Thornton 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, bragging that he knew which chamber was loaded. The gun went off, shooting him in the side of the head. According to his biographer [[Nick Tosches]], Ace shot himself with a .32 pistol, not a [[.22 caliber|.22]], and it happened little more than an hour after he had bought a new 1955 [[Oldsmobile]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Tosches|first1=Nick|title=Unsung Heroes of Rock 'n' Roll|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/unsungheroesofro00tosc_0/page/136|access-date=January 28, 2012|year=1984|publisher=[[C. Scribner's Sons]]|isbn=0-684-18149-5|page=[https://archive.org/details/unsungheroesofro00tosc_0/page/136 136]|chapter=Number One with a Bullet}}</ref>

Ace's funeral was held on January 2, 1955, at Clayborn Temple [[African Methodist Episcopal Church|AME]] church in Memphis. It was attended by an estimated 5,000 people.<ref>Salem, James M. (2001). ''The Late Great Johnny Ace and the Transition from R & B to Rock 'n' Roll''. Champaign: [[University of Illinois Press]]. pp. 141ff. {{ISBN|0-252-06969-2}}.</ref> His remains were buried at New Park Cemetery in Memphis.<ref>Resting Places: The Burial Places of 14,000 Famous Persons, by Scott Wilson</ref>

"[[Pledging My Love]]"<ref name=pc4>{{Gilliland |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19750/m1/ |title=Show 4 – The Tribal Drum: The Rise of Rhythm and Blues. [Part 2] }}</ref> was a posthumous R&B number 1 hit for ten weeks beginning February 12, 1955. As ''Billboard'' bluntly put it, Ace's death "created one of the biggest demands for a record that has occurred since the death of [[Hank Williams]] just over two years ago."<ref>{{cite magazine|date= January 29, 1955|title=Talent Corner|magazine=Billboard|page=34|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> Thus Johnny Ace became the first act to reach the ''Billboard'' pop charts only after death.<ref>[[Casey Kasem]], "[[American Top 40]]", August 2, 1986</ref> His single recordings were compiled and released as ''The Johnny Ace Memorial Album''.

==Legacy==
Rock-and-roll historian [[Harry Hepcat]] noted that "Johnny Ace was a crooner who sounded like [[Johnny Mathis]] with soul... Soon after the death of Johnny Ace, [[Varetta Dillard]] recorded 'Johnny Has Gone' for [[Savoy Records]] in early 1955. She incorporated many of Ace's song titles in the lyrics. This was the first of the many teen tragedy records that were to follow in the later 50s and early 1960s."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.harryhepcat.com/history3.htm |title=History of Rock and Roll, Part III|author= Hepcat, Harry|publisher=Harryhepcat.com}}</ref><ref>{{citation |title=Joel Martin Show|publisher="Death Rock", WBAB 102.3 FM, New York, with guest Harry Hepcat, May 23, 1982}}</ref>

In addition to Dillard's "Johnny Has Gone", at least four other tribute records to Ace were released in 1955: [[Frankie Ervin]]'s "Johnny Ace's Last Letter"; The Rovers' "Salute To Johnny Ace"; [[Linda Hayes (singer)|Linda Hayes]]' "Why, Johnny, Why?"; and The Five Wings’ "Johnny's Still Singing".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/aces-wild-mw0002390084|title=Ace's Wild - Johnny Ace &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=June 30, 2021}}</ref>

[[Bob Dylan]] and [[Joan Baez]] performed "Never Let Me Go" on tour with the [[Rolling Thunder Revue]] in 1975. [[Luther Vandross]] covered this song in 1993 as the title track to [[Never Let Me Go (Luther Vandross album)|his eighth studio album]]. [[Elvis Presley]] recorded "Pledging My Love" in his last studio session, in 1976; the song appeared on the album ''[[Moody Blue]]'' in 1977.

[[Paul Simon]] wrote and performed the song "[[The Late Great Johnny Ace]]" (1983), in which a boy, upon hearing of the death of Ace, orders a photograph of the deceased singer: "It came all the way from Texas/With a sad and simple face/And they signed it on the bottom/From the Late Great Johnny Ace." The song develops a touching counterpoint with the death of two other Johnnies – [[John Lennon]] and [[John F. Kennedy]].

[[David Allan Coe]] covered "Pledging My Love", introducing the song with his own recollections of hearing the news of Ace's death.

Ace is mentioned in "[[House Band in Hell]]", by [[Root Boy Slim]], and in the song "Johnny Ace", by [[Dash Rip Rock]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mp3lyrics.org/d/dash-rip-rock/johnny-ace/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719141408/http://www.mp3lyrics.org/d/dash-rip-rock/johnny-ace/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 19, 2011 |title=Dash Rip Rock Lyrics |publisher=Mp3lyrics.org|access-date=September 6, 2015}}</ref>

"Pledging My Love" was used in the 1973 film ''[[Mean Streets]]'', directed by [[Martin Scorsese]]; the 1983 film ''[[Christine (1983 film)|Christine]]'', directed by [[John Carpenter]]; the 1985 film ''[[Back to the Future]]'', directed by [[Robert Zemeckis]]; and the 1992 film ''[[Bad Lieutenant]]'', directed by [[Abel Ferrara]].

[[The Teen Queens]]' song "Eddie My Love", originally entitled "Johnny My Love", was written in memory of Ace.

The Swiss singer [[Polo Hofer]] and the Schmetterband wrote the song "Johnny Ace" in 1985; it was released on the album ''Giggerig''.
[[Will Oldham]] noted Ace's death in the lyrics of his song "Let the Wires Ring", on his 2000 album ''[[Guarapero/Lost Blues 2]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/gezundheit-let-the-wires-ring-mw0001278580 |title=Gezundheit/Let the Wires Ring – AllMusic Review |author=Ankeny, Jason |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=September 6, 2015}}</ref>

[[Dave Alvin]]'s 2011 album ''[[Eleven Eleven (Dave Alvin album)|Eleven Eleven]]'', contains the song "Johnny Ace Is Dead", about Ace's death.

The [[Squirrel Nut Zippers]]' Christmas album, ''[[Christmas Caravan]]'' (1998), contains the song "A Johnny Ace Christmas", a love song about Ace killing himself on Christmas.

==Discography==

===Singles===
Original singles, all issued simultaneously on 78- and 45-rpm discs by [[Duke Records]]
* "[[My Song (Johnny Ace song)|My Song]]" / "Follow the Rule" (1952)
* "Cross My Heart" / "Angel" (1953)
* "The Clock" / "Aces Wild" (1953)
* "Saving My Love for You" / "Yes, Baby" (the B-side is a duet with Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton) (1954)
* "Please Forgive Me" / "You've Been Gone So Long" (1954)
* "[[Never Let Me Go (Johnny Ace song)|Never Let Me Go]]" / "Burley Cutie" (instrumental) (1954)
* "[[Pledging My Love]]" / "Anymore" / "No Money" (1955), #1 on U.S. R&B chart for 10 weeks, peaked at #17 on U.S. Pop chart
* "Anymore"/ "How Can You Be So Mean" (1955)
* "So Lonely" / "I'm Crazy Baby" (1955)
* "Don't You Know" / "I Still Love You So" (1956)
One split single, issued on 78- and 45-rpm discs by [[Flair Records]]
* "Mid Night Hours Journey" (Johnny Ace) / "Trouble and Me" ([[Earl Forest]]) (1953)

===Albums===
Studio albums and compilations containing only or mostly recordings by Ace
* ''Johnny Ace Memorial Album'', Duke (1955)
* ''Johnny Ace: Pledging My Love'', Universal Special Products (1986)
* ''Johnny Ace: The Complete Duke Recordings'', Geffen (2004)
* ''The Chronological Johnny Ace: 1951–1954'', Classics (2005)
* ''Johnny Ace: Essential Masters'', Burning Fire, digital download (2008)
* ''Johnny Ace: Aces Wild! The complete solo sides and sessions'', Fantastic Voyage (2012)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Bashe, Patricia Romanowski; George-Warren, Holly; Pareles, Jon (1995). ''The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll'' (rev. updated ed.). New York: Fireside. {{ISBN|0-684-81044-1}}.
* Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke (1991). ''Rock Movers and Shakers''. Santa Barbara: [[ABC-CLIO]]. {{ISBN|0-87436-661-5}}.
* ''Rock On: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock n' Roll: The Solid Gold Years: 1974''. 1982: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, [[Harper & Row]]: New York. {{ISBN|0-06-181642-6}}.
* {{cite book|title=Earth Angels: The Short Lives and Controversial Deaths of Three R&B Pioneers|first=Steve|last=Bergman|publisher=Texas A&M University Press|date=March 27, 2023|url=https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781648431258/earth-angels/}}

==External links==
* [http://www.hip-oselect.com/scr.public.productdetails.asp?product_id=df341a6b-25d7-6418-4abf-950fe1f3b13d Hip-O biography]
* {{Find a Grave|grid=7132860}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ace, Johnny}}
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:1954 deaths]]
[[Category:American rhythm and blues singers]]
[[Category:Flair Records artists]]
[[Category:Apex Records artists]]
[[Category:Duke Records artists]]
[[Category:Singers from Memphis, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Rhythm and blues pianists]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:African-American rock musicians]]
[[Category:American rhythm and blues musicians]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths in Texas]]
[[Category:Firearm accident victims in the United States]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in Texas]]
[[Category:20th-century American pianists]]
[[Category:African-American male pianists]]
[[Category:United States Navy sailors]]
[[Category:African-American pianists]]
[[Category:African-American United States Navy personnel]]