Charles L. Johnson
Encyclopedia
Charles Leslie Johnson was an American
composer
of ragtime
and popular music
. He was born in Kansas City, Kansas
, died in Kansas City, Missouri
, and lived his entire life in those two cities. He published over 300 songs in his life, nearly 40 of them ragtime
compositions such as "Doc Brown’s Cakewalk", "Dill Pickles", "Apple Jack (Some Rag)", and "Snookums Rag". His best selling piece, a sentimental ballad called "Sweet and Low", sold over a million copies. Experts believe that had Johnson lived and worked in New York, he would be included alongside Scott Joplin
, James Scott
, and Joseph Lamb
as one of the greatest ragtime composers. He wrote more than the other three combined and exemplified a greater range of talent, composing waltzes, tangos
, cakewalks, marches, novelty pieces, and other types of music popular at that time.
, and mandolin
. As a young man Johnson became involved in the music scene of Kansas City by participating in several local groups. In this environment he wrote his first compositions.
Johnson was married twice, first to Sylvia Hoskins in 1901, and they had a daughter Frances. No one knows how this marriage ended or what happened to Sylvia or Frances. He married his second wife, Eva Otis, in 1926. She remained with him until his death in 1950.
Johnson’s career was stable and prolific. He began work in the late 1890s for the J.W. Jenkins and Sons Music Company in Kansas City, Missouri plugging songs and playing piano. Over the next five years Jenkins would publish twelve of Johnson’s songs. Eventually Johnson would compose for many other publishers. By 1907, Johnson had also formed his own publishing company, putting out his own music and those of other local composers. In addition, Johnson began vanity publishing for others, often writing music for the lyrics of others or simply arranging others’ compositions. His closest business partnership was with Fred John Adam Forster of the Forster Music Publisher, Inc.
Although Johnson’s career would wax and wane with the economy of the turn of the century, World Wars I and II, and the Depression, Charles always had work and could always respond to the musical climate of America.
At some point in his career Johnson began writing under pseudonyms. He used Raymond Birch the most, penning several of his well-known rags under that name such as "Blue Goose Rag", "Melody Rag", and "Powder Rag". But he also used several others.
Under any name, however, Johnson was a significant contributor to the Ragtime Era and to rag music in general. By far the biggest hit of 1906 was Charles’ most successful rag "Dill Pickles". The first rag to sell a million copies was Scott Joplin’s "Maple Leaf Rag
"; the second was "Dill Pickles". It has been suggested that by 1906 ragtime was already beginning to wane. After the publication of Dill Pickles there was a revival of interest in ragtime that extended its life by nearly ten more years. This piece of music made use of the “three over four” syncopation
that was subsequently copied and used in dozens of rags by other composers. Joplin himself had difficulty getting away from its conventions.
As mentioned before, Johnson had a remarkable ability to reflect the needs and trends of the time. A clear example of this was in his war pieces. During his musical career Charles wrote pieces for the Spanish American War, World War I
, and World War II
. Certainly most of these pieces (numbering almost 20) responded to the patriotism of our soldiers in World War I. Among these pieces were "GoodBye Susanna", "Be a Pilgrim (And Not a Ram)", "We Will Follow the Red, White, and Blue", and "We Are All in the Same Boat Now".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
and popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
. He was born in Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
, died in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, and lived his entire life in those two cities. He published over 300 songs in his life, nearly 40 of them ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
compositions such as "Doc Brown’s Cakewalk", "Dill Pickles", "Apple Jack (Some Rag)", and "Snookums Rag". His best selling piece, a sentimental ballad called "Sweet and Low", sold over a million copies. Experts believe that had Johnson lived and worked in New York, he would be included alongside Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions, and was later dubbed "The King of Ragtime". During his brief career, Joplin wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas...
, James Scott
James Scott
James Scott may refer to:*James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth , noble recognized by some as James II of England*James Scott , British MP 1710–1711*James Scott , British naval officer...
, and Joseph Lamb
Joseph Lamb
Joseph Francis Lamb was a noted American composer of ragtime music. Lamb, of Irish descent, was the only non-African American of the "Big Three" composers of classical ragtime, the other two being Scott Joplin and James Scott.-Life and Career:Lamb was born in Montclair, New Jersey...
as one of the greatest ragtime composers. He wrote more than the other three combined and exemplified a greater range of talent, composing waltzes, tangos
Tangos
Tangos is a flamenco palo closely related in form and feeling to the Rumba. It is often performed as a finale to a Tientos. Its compas and llamada are the same as that of the Farruca and share the Farruca's lively nature. However, Tangos is normally performed in the A Phrygian mode.Tangos is...
, cakewalks, marches, novelty pieces, and other types of music popular at that time.
Biography
Charles Johnson was born in the Armourdale district of Kansas City, Kansas to James R. and Helen F. Johnson. Clearly a prodigy, he was playing a neighbor’s piano by age six and began studying classical piano, harmony, and music theory a few years later. Although he had classical training, he always preferred popular music of the day. His musical ability led him to proficiency on other instruments as well: guitar, violin, banjoBanjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, and mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
. As a young man Johnson became involved in the music scene of Kansas City by participating in several local groups. In this environment he wrote his first compositions.
Johnson was married twice, first to Sylvia Hoskins in 1901, and they had a daughter Frances. No one knows how this marriage ended or what happened to Sylvia or Frances. He married his second wife, Eva Otis, in 1926. She remained with him until his death in 1950.
Johnson’s career was stable and prolific. He began work in the late 1890s for the J.W. Jenkins and Sons Music Company in Kansas City, Missouri plugging songs and playing piano. Over the next five years Jenkins would publish twelve of Johnson’s songs. Eventually Johnson would compose for many other publishers. By 1907, Johnson had also formed his own publishing company, putting out his own music and those of other local composers. In addition, Johnson began vanity publishing for others, often writing music for the lyrics of others or simply arranging others’ compositions. His closest business partnership was with Fred John Adam Forster of the Forster Music Publisher, Inc.
Forster Music Publisher, Inc.
Forster Music Publisher, Inc. was a major American publisher of popular songs founded in 1916 in Chicago by Fred John Adam Forster . The company had an office in New York and its music was of the Tin Pan Alley genre. For most of its existence, the firm was located at 216 South Wasbash, Chicago.-...
Although Johnson’s career would wax and wane with the economy of the turn of the century, World Wars I and II, and the Depression, Charles always had work and could always respond to the musical climate of America.
At some point in his career Johnson began writing under pseudonyms. He used Raymond Birch the most, penning several of his well-known rags under that name such as "Blue Goose Rag", "Melody Rag", and "Powder Rag". But he also used several others.
Under any name, however, Johnson was a significant contributor to the Ragtime Era and to rag music in general. By far the biggest hit of 1906 was Charles’ most successful rag "Dill Pickles". The first rag to sell a million copies was Scott Joplin’s "Maple Leaf Rag
Maple Leaf Rag
The "Maple Leaf Rag" is an early ragtime musical composition for piano composed by Scott Joplin. It was one of Joplin's early works, and is one of the most famous of all ragtime pieces, and became the model for ragtime compositions by subsequent composers. As a result Joplin was called the "King...
"; the second was "Dill Pickles". It has been suggested that by 1906 ragtime was already beginning to wane. After the publication of Dill Pickles there was a revival of interest in ragtime that extended its life by nearly ten more years. This piece of music made use of the “three over four” syncopation
Syncopation
In music, syncopation includes a variety of rhythms which are in some way unexpected in that they deviate from the strict succession of regularly spaced strong and weak but also powerful beats in a meter . These include a stress on a normally unstressed beat or a rest where one would normally be...
that was subsequently copied and used in dozens of rags by other composers. Joplin himself had difficulty getting away from its conventions.
As mentioned before, Johnson had a remarkable ability to reflect the needs and trends of the time. A clear example of this was in his war pieces. During his musical career Charles wrote pieces for the Spanish American War, World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Certainly most of these pieces (numbering almost 20) responded to the patriotism of our soldiers in World War I. Among these pieces were "GoodBye Susanna", "Be a Pilgrim (And Not a Ram)", "We Will Follow the Red, White, and Blue", and "We Are All in the Same Boat Now".
External links
- Dill Pickles Rag audio recording at the Library of Congress Jukebox
- Sheet music for "Our Yesterdays", by Charles L. Johnson, lyrics by Francis Lake, Forster Music Publisher, 1918.