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Margaret Johnson

Margaret Johnson

Margaret Johnson has been played on NTS in shows including The Trilogy Tapes, featured first on 23 June 2025. Songs played include Dead Drunk Blues.

Margaret Johnson was an American blues and early jazz vocalist and pianist.

Johnson's primary era of recording activity as a vocalist was 1925-1927. Prior to this, she had worked in vaudeville. She recorded with harmonica player Bobby Leecan and guitarist Robert Cooksey, playing country blues; she also did several recordings with New Orleans jazz ensembles which included Sidney Bechet, Clarence Williams, Louis Armstrong, Bubber Miley, and Tom Morris. She and Williams also played with the Jazz Rippers, Buddy Christian's ensemble, though Williams was not credited and Johnson was listed under the name Margaret Carter. Her songs were often humorous and sexually suggestive in tone.

After the late 1920s she ceased to record as a vocalist, but worked as an accompanist for Billie Holiday in the 1930s, when Holiday was performing with Lester Young.

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Margaret Johnson

Margaret Johnson has been played on NTS in shows including The Trilogy Tapes, featured first on 23 June 2025. Songs played include Dead Drunk Blues.

Margaret Johnson was an American blues and early jazz vocalist and pianist.

Johnson's primary era of recording activity as a vocalist was 1925-1927. Prior to this, she had worked in vaudeville. She recorded with harmonica player Bobby Leecan and guitarist Robert Cooksey, playing country blues; she also did several recordings with New Orleans jazz ensembles which included Sidney Bechet, Clarence Williams, Louis Armstrong, Bubber Miley, and Tom Morris. She and Williams also played with the Jazz Rippers, Buddy Christian's ensemble, though Williams was not credited and Johnson was listed under the name Margaret Carter. Her songs were often humorous and sexually suggestive in tone.

After the late 1920s she ceased to record as a vocalist, but worked as an accompanist for Billie Holiday in the 1930s, when Holiday was performing with Lester Young.

Original source: Last.fm

Tracks featured on

Most played tracks

Dead Drunk Blues
Margaret Johnson
RST Records1991