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Clarence “Jelly” Johnson Player Piano Rolls Part 1 – Jazz and Blues

Posted in - Biography & Clarence Jelly Johnson & Historical & Piano Roll on April 27th 2017 0 Comments

Although Clarence Johnson left us no piano solo disc recordings, no band recordings, and only about two dozen vocal accompaniment sides, he still remains one of the most influential artists in the history of Chicago South Side Piano.  Unlike Blythe, who was prolific in all forms of recordings, Johnson’s personal playing style is documented wholly on the vocal accompaniments and player piano rolls.  Fortunately, he made many piano roll recordings for us to study and enjoy today.

One of Johnson’s earliest performances, dating from 1919.  Even by this early date, his individual blues playing style was already well developed.

Very little is known about Clarence Johnson, and this has been published elsewhere.  What I will add are my personal recollections from Mike Montgomery, via numerous conversations and after having examined his copious notes regarding Clarence.  Johnson was Mike’s favorite pianist.

Mike had similar files on many of the Chicago pianists.  I have been unable to trace what became of Mike’s notes regarding the Black artists, and assume these were privately sold after his death. I have located several folders regarding other artists who recorded for Capitol, but the current whereabouts of his notes on the blues/jazz greats remains a mystery to me.

In the late 1960s or early 70s, Mike was able to locate Clarence Johnson’s aunt, who had essentially raising him as a boy.  The logistical challenge that Mike faced in doing this is incredible.  One can well imagine the difficulties of a White researcher trying to find relatives of a long-deceased Black pianist by the name of Johnson in the deep, highly segregated South at that time.  I am certain that John and Alan Lomax could have related many interesting tales of these adventures. But they had the resources of the Library of Congress behind them.  Mike didn’t.

Johnson’s most successful composition, written in collaboration with his friends Lloyd and Warren Smith. One of three performances by the composer, for three different roll companies. Johnson’s interlude in this particular performance is very similar to “Old Fashioned Love” by James P. Johnson, although James P.’ song was published about 2 years after this roll was issued!

This version also features an original interlude and coda section, improvised by Johnson, but completely different from the Staffnote roll.

The QRS version displays yet another completely different Johnson interpretation.  The interlude section is likewise original, and contains licks later used by Blythe in such performances as “Pomeranian Blues.”  This, as numerous other Johnson rolls which pre-date Blythe’s recording activities, are a testament to the great influence that the enormously talented Johnson had on Blythe.

Mike successfully located Clarence Johnson’s aunt, and was very kindly greeted by her.  She related that Clarence was a child prodigy at the piano, never having had formal lessons to her knowledge, and that she remembered his playing well.  Mike had a cassette tape recorder with him at the time, and played for her a number of Johnson’s rolls, after which she exclaimed “yes, that’s Clarence’s playing.”

This rather early (ca. 1920-1) performance displays Johnson’s ragtime influence, but more importantly the influence of James P. Johnson and the Harlem Stride Style. Played at a nominal tempo the piece is a blues-tinged novelty rag of sorts. Played fast (as likely done by the composer) it is a cutting-contest number.  “Colored Fingers Rag” was never published in sheet music as such, although a few years after the roll was issued Clarence Williams published the main theme of the work as the trio section of “Darktown Capers,” crediting himself and Johnson as composers.

However, Mike would quickly relate that after playing nearly a dozen of these recordings, some of which also included Blythe (as well as other artists who do not necessarily sound like Johnson), Clarence’s aunt always responded affirmatively that it was indeed his playing.  It was obvious and quite understandable to Mike that so many years had passed that this truly sweet and kind Lady had only a faint memory of Clarence’s actual playing at the time.  But her deep love for her nephew, and how proud she had always been of his accomplishments, was most apparent.

At the time, Clarence Johnson’s aunt gave Mike a precious gift of original photographs of her nephew.  These are most likely the only of their kind extant, and were contained within Mike’s research folder.

Clarence Johnson had apparently served in the US Army in WWI. The finest of the Johnson photographs shows him in uniform, and I remember it very well.  Clarence was a rather light-skinned, tall and handsome man.  His fingers are probably the longest I have ever seen on any person.  Perhaps even more so than Eubie Blake, whom I knew as a friend (and Eubie could nearly strike a 12th on the piano keyboard).

After discharge from the Army, Clarence apparently found employment as one of the staff pianists for the US Music Roll Co. of Chicago.  His earliest rolls date from about 1919 (it is possible that Charlie Warfield’s “Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home” was Johnson’s first roll).  Even these earliest rolls show the hallmarks of a highly gifted and original blues player.

A collaborative work of Lloyd Smith and Thomas A. Dorsey, in tribute to the great King Oliver.  This is one of the rare occasions on which Johnson was credited as Clarence “Jelly” Johnson.

Without doubt, at that time Johnson met Clarence M. Jones, who had been recording for US, Imperial and Wurlitzer in Chicago for some years already.  Jones was both a highly innovative composer and pianist, and (as stated in the Blythe section) had grown up in the ragtime era and later adapted his style to blues playing.  I am most certain that Clarence M. Jones was a seminal influence on Johnson, and most likely he strongly encouraged the younger man to continue roll recording.

During the 1919-1922 period, Clarence Johnson and Clarence M. Jones both often used the pseudonym “Chester Gordon,” or “Chet Gordon” on their US Music titles. It is likely that this pseudonym was also used by other US artists such as Mae Brown (who was the US recording manager) and possibly Paul Pratt (the great ragtime composer, who recorded rolls for US under his own name and as “Paul Parnell.”)  In all truth, it is frequently another instance of “educated guesswork” to decide whether Johnson or Jones was the true artist.  On blues and jazz material this job is somewhat easier, for there are many stylistic hallmarks of each player that one can use as a basis.  For popular one-steps and fox-trots, frequently it’s extremely difficult to make any assumptions.  In the case of four-hand arrangements, well it’s virtually impossible.

One of Lemuel Fowler’s earliest compositions, this piece was recorded on only this piano roll and on Black Swan as a vocal with band accompaniment. Clarence Johnson’s blues performance is remarkable.

Clarence obviously was known by the nickname “Jelly,” although on both his vocal accompaniments and roll recordings this distinction is actually very rare. However, several of the very few rolls that Johnson is known to have recorded for the Billings Roll Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin do credit him as Clarence “Jelly” Johnson.  He is “Clarence Johnson” on all rolls recorded for Capitol or QRS.

Clarence Johnson was friends with Lloyd and Warren Smith, who had about 1921-22 established a very small and short-lived music publishing shop called “The Original Home of Jazz.”  Smith published Johnson’s own “Jelly’s Blues” in sheet music form with full design cover, and similarly their collaboration “I’m Goin’ Away Just To Wear You Off My Mind.”  Smith also published “My Good Man’s Blues,” which was subtitled “Mahalia’s Blues,” but the original sheet music at the Library of Congress lacks a design cover. As such, this might have remained a typeset “professional copy,” and may or may not have ever been commercially distributed in sheet music form.  The tune was recorded by Edna Taylor with Clarence on piano (Pm 12057) and both Smith and Johnson made roll recordings of the piece.

To describe Clarence Johnson’s playing, the term “eloquence” comes to mind.  He was extraordinarily accurate, and clearly worked out his ideas very fully prior to any recording sessions.  Johnson’s blues playing is simply beautiful in all respects.  Like his great friend Jimmy Blythe, Clarence passed at the young age of 30 years.  In his short lifetime, he produced a great musical legacy for us all to study, appreciate and enjoy.

Lemuel Fowler’s greatest hit, and actually quite a commercial success in terms of sheet music sales. The publisher, Ted Browne, promoted the work by apparently commissioning Clarence Johnson to record the piece for his special “Browne” label, which was probably only sold at his music shop in Chicago. The Billings Company of Milwaukee handled the recording, so this is actually a Staffnote roll.  Only one other ‘Browne” roll is known to exist, also from a Staffnote recording, in this case by Clarence M. Jones.

This tune was solely credited to Clarence Johnson as composer in both sheet music (published by Lloyd Smith’s “Original Home Of Jazz”) and piano rolls. The QRS version is played by the composer.  “Jelly’s Blues” was later re-titled “St. Louis Man,” and recorded by Blythe on sides with both the Dixie Four and the State Street Ramblers.

A blues song by Dave Ringle, the US recording by Clarence Johnson is arguably one of the most beautiful examples of his playing extant.  The tune was also issued in a Capitol A-roll version, and the performance, while dating ca. 5 years later than the date of this roll, is so similar as to confirm Johnson as the artist on the Capitol roll. (The Capitol roll is even more elaborate, showing Johnson’s development during the intervening years).

 

A personal tribute to Clarence Johnson.  Years ago I had a copy of the Victor 78rpm of Laura Smith singing “Lonesome Refugee (Blues)” accompanied by Clarence M. Jones.  There was something about the tune that appealed to me personally.  I liked Clarence Jones’ piano accompaniment, but felt at the time maybe more could be done with the tune.

So I started working up my own arrangement, but I wanted to play it in the style of Clarence Johnson and as a form of personal tribute to him.
For some reason (probably laziness) I never made a cassette tape recording of my playing it.  But I was so fascinated in piano rolls, and wondered what it might sound like on a roll.  My late friend John Farrell was doing all sorts of roll arranging, and he was an inspiration.

One of the most unique rolls in existence, this roll is played by Clarence Johnson in collaboration with Jimmy Blythe. However, it is not a 4-hand performance in any way.  In a manner unprecedented on rolls, this issue was inscribed “Verse Played By J. Blythe, Chorus Played By C. Johnson.”  While the roll label shows this to be a Johnson/Smith composition, other sources indicate that most likely Alexander Robinson was the actual composer.

This was 1980.  There were no PC’s or programs like Cakewalk or Finale.  So, making a piano roll was an incredible amount of work.  What I did was to mark a huge length of blank paper with horizontal guidelines for tempo, and then drew an 88-note scale so that I would know where to cut holes in the paper.  I cut holes for each note and chord in the paper with an X-acto knife.  This probably took me a couple of weeks of spare time, after work.

Mike Montgomery was the first one I ever played this roll for.  He enjoyed it a lot, and since I dearly loved Mike I gave it to him as a gift.  Now that’s 37 years ago.   As fates would have it, the roll came back to me in 2005 when I acquired his collection. So then I was able to optically scan it.  It is included here within the Clarence Johnson jazz/blues section.

Lonesome Refugee (Laura Smith) – a tribute to Clarence Johnson

Clarence Johnson’s Piano Rolls Part 1 – Jazz and Blues.

FileAction
Achin' Hearted Blues (Clarence Johnson) - NAT 7118.midDownload 
Aggravatin' Papa (Robinson) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 545.midDownload 
Aggravatin' Papa (Robinson) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1738-6.midDownload 
Aggravatin' Papa (Robinson) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1741-4.midDownload 
Aggravatin' Papa (Robinson) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1759-9.midDownload 
Aggravatin' Papa (Robinson-Turk) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 41044.midDownload 
Alabammy Mammy - Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1699-8.midDownload 
Alabamy Mammy (VonTilzer-Fleeson) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40745.midDownload 
Arkansas Blues (Lada) - pb Clarence Johnson (possibly, per FLH) - SUP 10258.midDownload 
Aunt Hagar's Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH, no credit on roll) - COL 527.midDownload 
Aunt Hagar's Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH, no credit on roll) - COL A-1738-7.midDownload 
Aunt Hagar's Children Blues (Handy) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40746.midDownload 
Aunt Hagar's Children Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2176-9.midDownload 
Away Down East In Maine - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 555.midDownload 
Baby Blue Eyes - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 538.midDownload 
Baby Blue Eyes - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1737-9.midDownload 
Baby, Won't You Please Come Home (Warfield) - pb Clarence Johnson (possibly, per FLH) - SUP 10259.midDownload 
Baby, Won't You Please Come Home (Warfield-Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 39816.midDownload 
Baby, Won't You Please Come Home (Warfield-Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 41411.midDownload 
Barrel House Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2099-9.midDownload 
Beale Street Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-2085-3.midDownload 
Beale Street Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 626.midDownload 
Beale Street Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1764-1.midDownload 
Bees Knees (Lopez-Wood-Lewis) - pb Clarence Johnson - Staffnote 172.midDownload 
Black Bag Struttin' Blues (imaginary title) - pb Clarence Johnson (possibly, per FLH) - CAP A(Mod) - 1005-3.midDownload 
Blue Evening Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 877.midDownload 
Blue Evening Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1828-2.midDownload 
Blue Evening Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1849-3.midDownload 
Blue Eyed Blues (William Fazioli) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 399.midDownload 
Blue Island Blues (Harry Geise & Wendell Hall) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 816.midDownload 
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP 1364.midDownload 
Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1972-10.midDownload 
Bluin' The Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2131-8.midDownload 
Bow Wow Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40687.midDownload 
Broken Hearted Blues (Perry Bradford) - pb Clarence Johnson as Chet Gordon (per FLH) - US 29455.midDownload 
Carolina Blues (Dave Ringle) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40741.midDownload 
Carolina Blues (Ringle) - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A(Mod) 1005-2.midDownload 
Chasing The Blues (Bernard-Green-Piantadosi) - pb Clarence Johnson as Chet Gordon (per FLH) - US 40000.midDownload 
Chinaman Blues (Gene Burdette) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1741-6.midDownload 
Choo Choo Blues (Barr-Santrey) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 41050.midDownload 
Choo Choo Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - SUP 5281.midDownload 
Colorado Blues (Bowman) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-1958-3.midDownload 
Colorado Blues (Bowman) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2099-3.midDownload 
Colored Fingers Rag (Clarence Johnson) - pbc Clarence Johnson - COL 95130 - Tempo 80 (issued).midDownload 
Colored Fingers Rag (Clarence Johnson) - pbc Clarence Johnson - COL 95130 - Tempo 95.midDownload 
Crazy Blues (Bradford) - pb Clarence Johnson as Chet Gordon (per FLH) - US 40155.midDownload 
Crying With The Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2077-8.midDownload 
Cuddle Up Blues (Harry DeCosta) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40749.midDownload 
Dallas Blues (Wand) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-1987-3.midDownload 
Dance They Call The Georgia Hunch, The (Clarence Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - US 40111.midDownload 
Darktown Capers - A La Blues (Clarence Johnson & Clarence Williams) - Clark A-652-7 (fast tempo).midDownload 
Darktown Capers - A La Blues (Clarence Johnson & Clarence Williams) - Clark A-652-7 (slow tempo).midDownload 
Deep Elm (Robison) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A(Mod) 106X-8.midDownload 
Dixie Dreams Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2077-7.midDownload 
Don't Tell Your Monkey Man (Lukie Johnson) - pb Clarence Johnson as Chet Gordon (per FLH) - US 39633.midDownload 
Don't Think You'll Be Missed - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 601.midDownload 
Don't Think You'll Be Missed - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1755-2.midDownload 
Doo Dah Blues (Rose-White) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40730.midDownload 
Everybody Stomp (Schoebel) - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1972-8.midDownload 
Everybody Stomp - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP 1312.midDownload 
Family Trouble Blues (Olman Cobb) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1738-2.midDownload 
Family Trouble Blues (Olman Cobb) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH, no credit on roll) - COL 540.midDownload 
Fat Mama's Man - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2274-10.midDownload 
Flamin' Mamie - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP 1404.midDownload 
Fowler Twist, The - Blues (Lemuel Fowler) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40744.midDownload 
Fummydiddle Blues - pbc Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2287-1.midDownload 
Fummydiddle Blues - pbc Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2337-10.midDownload 
Got To Cool My Doggies Now - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 507.midDownload 
Got To Cool My Doggies Now - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1730-3.midDownload 
Got To Cool My Doggies Now - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1738-5.midDownload 
Got To Cool My Doggies Now - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1741-5.midDownload 
Gulf Coast Blues (Clarence Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - MEL 5076.midDownload 
Gulf Coast Blues (Clarence Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - QRS 2303.midDownload 
Hard Hearted Hannah - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1872-7.midDownload 
He May Be Your Dog, But He Wears My Collar - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-1904-4.midDownload 
He May Be Your Man, But He Comes To See Me Sometimes (Fowler) - pb Clarence Johnson - Browne (Staffnote) 117.midDownload 
He's The Hottest Man In Town - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 929.midDownload 
He's The Hottest Man In Town - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1872-6.midDownload 
Heart Hearted Hannah (Ager-Bigelow-Bates) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 939.midDownload 
Helen Gone - pb Clarence Johnson (possibly, per FLH) - CAP A-1904-8.midDownload 
Hot N' Cold (Abe Olman) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1742-10.midDownload 
House Of David Blues, The (Schoebel) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 791.midDownload 
How Come You Do Me LIke You Do - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1890-5.midDownload 
How Come You Do Me LIke You Do - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1895-6.midDownload 
How Come You Do Me Like You Do - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-2009-9.midDownload 
How Come You Do Me Like You Do - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 1050.midDownload 
How Long, How Long Blues - pb Blythe, Johnson or Smith (per FLH) - CAP A-2287-6.midDownload 
I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle (Bradford) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-1974-5.midDownload 
I Ain't Gonna Tell Nobody (Richard M. Jones) - pb Clarence Johnson as Chet Gordon (per FLH) - US 40163.midDownload 
I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-997435-13.midDownload 
I Wonder Where My Sweet, Sweet Daddy's Gone - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1655-10.midDownload 
I'm Goin' Away To Wear You Off My Mind (Smith-Johnson-Smith) - pbc Clarence Johnson - Clark A-652-9.midDownload 
I'm Goin' Away To Wear You Off My Mind (Smith-Johnson-Smith) - pbc Clarence Johnson - QRS 2243.midDownload 
I'm Goin' Away To Wear You Off My Mind (Smith-Johnson-Smith) - pbc Clarence Johnson - Staffnote 189.midDownload 
I'm Goin' Away To Wear You Off My Mind (Smith-Johnson-Smith) - pbc Clarence Johnson - US 40637.midDownload 
I'm Gonna Charleston Back To Charleston - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP 1275.midDownload 
I'm Gonna Charleston Back To Charleston - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1960-10.midDownload 
I'm Lonesome - Nobody Cares For Me - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1706-10.midDownload 
I'm Sitting On Top Of The World - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP 1368.midDownload 
I'm The Good Man That Was Hard To Find - pb Clarence Johnson (as Chet Gordon) & Mae Brown - US 39969.midDownload 
I've Got A Cross-Eyed Papa, But He Looks Straight To Me - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 754.midDownload 
I've Got A Cross-Eyed Papa, But He Looks Straight To Me - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1801-2.midDownload 
I've Got My Habits On - Blues (Durante) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - Broadway(COL) 6297.midDownload 
I've Got My Habits On - Blues (Jimmy Durante-Schaefer) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40688.midDownload 
I've Got My Habits On - pb Clarence Johnson (re. FLH) - COL A-1685-9.midDownload 
I've Got My Habits On - pb Clarence Johnson (re. FLH) No Artist Credited - Syncronized 297.midDownload 
I've Got The Wonder Where And When He's Coming Back Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - Syncronized 339.midDownload 
I've Got The Wonder Where He Went And When He's Coming Back Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1670-3.midDownload 
If You Can't Say Yes, Don't Say No - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-1904-2.midDownload 
If You Hadn't Gone Away (Henderson) - pb Clarence Johnson - Sterling 1311.midDownload 
If You Hadn't Gone Away - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1967-6.midDownload 
It Won't Be Long - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1904-7.midDownload 
Ivy (JP Johnson) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 518.midDownload 
Jelly's Blues (Smith-Johnson-Smith) - pbc Clarence Johnson - AUTO A-1374-8 (based on QRS 2994).midDownload 
Jelly's Blues (Smith-Johnson-Smith) - pbc Clarence Johnson - QRS 2994.midDownload 
Joe Oliver Blues (Lloyd Smith-Thomas Dorsey) - pb Clarence Johnson - Staffnote 204.midDownload 
Joe Turner Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-2077-10.midDownload 
Joe Turner Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 548.midDownload 
Joe Turner Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1764-3.midDownload 
Judge Cliff Davis Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2118-9.midDownload 
Kansas City Man Blues (Clarence Johnson & Clarence Williams) - pbc Clarence Williams - QRS 2586.midDownload 
Kansas City Man Blues (Clarence Johnson) - pb J.Lawrence Cook as Eubie Jones - US 41743.midDownload 
Keep Yourself Together, Sweet Papa (Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1808-2.midDownload 
Lonesome Blues (Bradford) - pb Clarence Johnson as Chet Gordon (per FLH) - US 39790.midDownload 
Lonesome Mamma Blues (Billie Brown) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40828.midDownload 
Lonesome Refugee (Laura Smith) - a tribute to Clarence Johnson, arr. by Frank Himpsl (hand-cut piano roll ca. 1980).midDownload 
Loud Speakin' Papa - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP 1279.midDownload 
Loud Speakin' Papa - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1960-2.midDownload 
Low Down Papa (Spencer Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - QRS 2350.midDownload 
Low Down Papa - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 769.midDownload 
Mahalia's Blues (aka 'My Good Man's Blues') - pbc Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2176-10.midDownload 
Memphis Blues (Handy) - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1987-5.midDownload 
Memphis Blues (Handy) - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-2099-2.midDownload 
Memphis Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - SUP 4261.midDownload 
Memphis Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - SUP 6141.midDownload 
Midnight Blues (Thompson-Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - MEL 5099.midDownload 
Midnight Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 778.midDownload 
Milenberg Joys (Morton) - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP 1294.midDownload 
Milenberg Joys (Morton) - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1987-9.midDownload 
Mobile Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 887.midDownload 
Mobile Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1838-6.midDownload 
Mobile Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1872-5.midDownload 
Muscle Shoals Blues (George W. Thomas) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1670-4.midDownload 
Muscle Shoals Blues (George W. Thomas) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1685-6.midDownload 
Muscle Shoals Blues (George W. Thomas) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1699-6.midDownload 
Nervous Blues (Bradford) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1655-3.midDownload 
New York Glide, The - Blues (Tom Delaney) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40748.midDownload 
No Use Crying (Hirsch-Matthullath) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40830.midDownload 
No Use Crying - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1699-12.midDownload 
No Use Crying - pb Clarence Johnson - Syncronized 379.midDownload 
Nobody Lied (Norman-Berry-Weber) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40793.midDownload 
Nobody Loves Me Now (Nola Arndt) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40827.midDownload 
Nut House Stomp - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH, Johnson poss composer) - CAP A-2356-10.midDownload 
Oh, The Woman In Room 13 (Donaldson) - pb Clarence Johnson as Chet Gordon (per FLH) - US 29526.midDownload 
Old Fashioned Love (JPJohnson) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 771.midDownload 
Old Fashioned Love - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1808-4.midDownload 
Pack Up Your Sins And Go To The Devil - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL 515.midDownload 
Pack Up Your Sins And Go To The Devil - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1730-10.midDownload 
Play Me Slow - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2009-5.midDownload 
Pullman Porter Blues (Clarence Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1655-6.midDownload 
Pullman Porter Blues (Clarence Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1670-5.midDownload 
Pullman Porter Blues (Clarence Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1685-8.midDownload 
Pullman Porter Blues (Clarence Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1699-9.midDownload 
Pullman Porter Blues (Clarence Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - Sterling 6301.midDownload 
Royal Garden Blues (Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2118-7.midDownload 
Say Arabella, What's A Fella To Do - pb Clarence Johnson - American 1296.midDownload 
Say Arabella, What's A Fella To Do - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-1961-9.midDownload 
Send Back My Honey Man - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1698-6.midDownload 
Six Feet Of Papa (Sizemore) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2014-3.midDownload 
Six Feet Of Papa (Sizemore) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2023-3.midDownload 
St. Louis Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - American 547.midDownload 
St. Louis Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-2099-1.midDownload 
St. Louis Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-2282-1.midDownload 
St. Louis Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1764-5.midDownload 
St. Louis Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - SUP 4047.midDownload 
St. Louis Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - SUP 6031.midDownload 
St. Louis Man Blues (Johnson) - pbc Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2356-9.midDownload 
State Street Blues (Spencer Williams & Babe Thompson) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40751.midDownload 
Steppin' Out - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 821.midDownload 
Steppin' Out - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1825-6.midDownload 
Sugar Blues (Lucy Fletcher-Clarence Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 39953.midDownload 
Sweet Kisses - Fox Trot Blues (VonTilzer) - pb Clarence Johnson as Chet Gordon (per FLH) - US 39814.midDownload 
Sweet Lovin' Mama - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 560.midDownload 
Sweet Lovin' Mama - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1737-7.midDownload 
Sweet Lovin' Mama - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1741-1.midDownload 
Sweet Lovin' Mama - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1759-7.midDownload 
Sweet Lovin' Mama - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1773-10.midDownload 
Sweeter Than Sugar Is My Sweetie - Honky-Tonky Blues (Berlin) - pb Clarence Johnson as Chet Gordon (per FLH) - US 29604.midDownload 
Teddy Bear Blues (James H. Jackson) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 41193.midDownload 
Tee-Pee Blues (Roy Bargy) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1685-4.midDownload 
Tee-Pee Blues (Roy Bargy) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1699-3.midDownload 
That Da-Da Strain (Dowell) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL 510.midDownload 
That Da-Da Strain (Dowell) - pb Clarence Johnson - COL A-1741-8.midDownload 
Those Longing Lonesome Blues (Dorothy Goebel) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - Leabarjan Roll, shortened issue on WURL 20647-9.midDownload 
Those Longing Lonesome Blues (Dorothy Goebel) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - Leabarjan Roll.midDownload 
Tin Roof Blues (Morton) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A(Mod) 1016-10.midDownload 
Tishomingo Blues (Spencer Williams) - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH, diff from COL 94121) - CAP A-2099-3.midDownload 
Unknown Blues (poss. Handy; poss. Clarence Johnson, partial @ start) - CAP A-1972-7 end splice.midDownload 
Unknown Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A(Mod) 106X-5.midDownload 
Virginia Blues (Meinken-Erdman) - pb Clarence Johnson - US 40717.midDownload 
What's The Use Blues - pb James Blythe or Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - CAP A-2337-3.midDownload 
Wicked Blues - pb Clarence Johnson (similar to QRS 'Crazy Blues' pb Pete Wendling per FLH) - COL 94122.midDownload 
Yellow Dog Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP 1333.midDownload 
Yellow Dog Blues - pb Clarence Johnson - CAP A-2282-6.midDownload 
You Shall Reap Just What You Sow (Alex Robinson) - pb Clarence Johnson & James Blythe - Staffnote 213.midDownload 
You're Always Messin' 'Round With My Man (Spencer Williams) pb Clarence Johnson - QRS 2349.midDownload 
You've Had Your Day - pb Clarence Johnson (per FLH) - COL A-1698-8.midDownload 
Your Mamma's Gonna Slow You Down - pb Clarence Johnson - American 793.midDownload 

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