Mr. Plas Johnson

[John Laughter]

Just a FEW of his recordings. If you see any errors let me know. If you have songs to add please do so;

CONFIDENTIAL-SONNY KNIGHT
PLAS JOHNSON (solo) TENOR intro followed by SAX SECTION.

EDDIE MY LOVE-TEEN QUEENS
PLAS JOHNSON – TENOR
(per Plas Johnson)JEWELL GRANT - BARITONE and maybe JACKIE KELSO – ALTO.

IT ISN’T RIGHT-THE PLATTERS
PLAS JOHNSON – TENOR

STRANDED IN THE JUNGLE-THE CADETS
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

BONY MORONIE-LARRY WILLIAMS
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR
JEWEL GRANT (per STUART COLMAN) BARITONE

HE’S MINE-THE PLATTERS
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

I’M WALKING-RICKY NELSON
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

RAUNCHY-ERNIE FREEMAN
PLAS JOHNSON - ALTO

SEND FOR ME-NAT KING COLE
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

BONY MORONIE-LARRY WILLIAMS
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

CERVEZA-BOOTS BROWN
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

CHA HUA HUA-PETS
PLAS JOHNSON - SAX SECTION with TENOR SOLO

CHANSON D’ AMOUR (SONG OF LOVE)-ART & DOTTY TODD
PLAS JOHNSON – TENOR

FOR YOUR LOVE-ED TOWNSEND
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

JENNIE LEE-JAN & ARNIE
PLAS JOHNSON – TENOR

RAMROD-DUANE EDDY
PLAS JOHNSON – TENOR

APPLE BLOSSOM TIME-TAB HUNTER
PLAS JOHNSON - SAX SECTION with TENOR solo.

BABY TALK-JAN & DEAN
PLAS JOHNSON (solo) TENOR
? BARITONE

IN THE MOOD-ERNIE FIELDS ORCHESTRA
PLAS JOHNSON TENOR and BARITONE
According to Mr. Johnson there was no other sax player in that session so he apparently overdubbed the bari part; "Yeah, sounds like me". Plas Johnson, 10/8/2011

KOOKIE, KOOKIE, LEND ME YOUR COMB-EDD BYRNES & CONNIE STEVENSS
PLAS JOHNSON – TENOR

PETER GUNN-RAY ANTHONY
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR(per telephone conversation with Ray Anthony)

PRETTY GIRLS EVERYWHERE-EUGENE CHURCH
PLAS JOHNSON - BARITONE

PRIMROSE LANE-JERRY WALLACE
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

SOME KIND-A EARTHQUAKE-DUANE EDDY
PLAS JOHNSON – TENOR

THE WONDER OF YOU-RAY PETERSON
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

COUNTRY BOY-FATS DOMINO
PLAS JOHNSON (SOLO) TENOR

FOOT STOMPING-PART 1 - THE FLARES
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY-BOBBY DARIN
PLAS JOHNSON and NINO TEMPO - SAX SECTION

LIMBO ROCK-CHAMPS
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR
“Hi John,

I saw that Jimmy Seals is listed as the sax player on “Limbo Rock” by the Champs. It is in fact Plas Johnson, who also plays flute on the record. From this session on (on November 16, 1961), most of the Champs tracks were recorded by session musicians (members of the Wrecking Crew), like Tommy Tedesco, Jackie Kelso, Bill Pitman, Howard Roberts and Earl Palmer. I have seen some of the session contracts of the later Champs sessions, including the one for the “Limbo Rock”/“Tequila Twist” session”.

Kind regards,
Dik de Heer
8/19/16

SURFER’S STOMP-THE MARKETTS
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

This Hollywood, California-based instrumental group rose to prominence during the surfing craze of the early 60s. Ben Benay (guitar), Mike Henderson (saxophone), Ray Pohlman (bass), Gene Pello (drums) and Richard Hobriaco, then Tom Hensey (keyboards). They had two hits in 1962 with “Surfer’s Stomp’ and Balboa Blue” which featured Plas Johnson, before scoring a million-seller the following year with the pulsating “Out Of Limits.” They secured another Top 20 entry in 1966 with the then-popular “Batman Theme.” By the 70s, Benay was established in Los Angeles session circles. Pohlman pursued a similar career, working with, among others, Emmylou Harris, while Hensey became Neil Diamond’s keyboard player.

However;
http://www.onlinedrummer.com/article...wrecking-crew/


Some members of The Wrecking Crew struggled with it, however. Plas Johnson recalls a disheartening situation with “Surfer’s Stomp” by The Marketts;

“I think it’s a little different when you’re a horn player and you’re asked to play the introduction, and play the first chorus … and play the first solo, and then play the fade on the end. And the damn thing comes out, and it doesn’t have your name on it. Worse than not getting the money is to have … to have played on a hit record which sold a million copies, and not even have your name on it. And they go dig some white kids up out of high school and put them on the road and call them the name.” – Plas Johnson

PINK PANTHER THEME-HENRY MANCINI
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

MY SPECIAL ANGEL-VOGUES
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

WHAT CAN I SAY-BOZ SCAGGS
PLAS JOHNSON - TENOR

According to Mr. Johnson's ladyfriend (Gaye in L.A.), he is doing well. He still plays in a "rehearsal band" once in a while but no longer playing the long gigs.

What an inspiration he was (and still is) to so many of us who started playing back in the day when a sax solo or sax section was featured on so many Top 100 recordings of all styles of music.

 

[Greg Strange]

Excellent research and information John.

In the "Wrecking Crew" documentary by Tommy Tedesco's son Denny, Plas Jiohnson features in the film and with the extra features on the DVD there is an extensive interview where he demonstrates playing "The Pink Panther Theme" on tenor, and the piccolo part on Rockin' Robin. In the interview he comes across as a very nice guy.

Plas appears to be playing a silver-plated Yamaha 62 series tenor on this track...

Greg S.

 

[John Laughter]

Thanks Greg. Yes indeed Mr. Johnson is a fine person in all respects. He (mostly through Gaye via emails and cell) has always been very helpful. And very pleased that so many players respect what he has done and enjoy his style!

 

[Jazzaferri]

. Pink Panther was a big influence on me when I was a teen. I love his sound and his musicianship