Country
United States
Sleepy Johnson
About Sleepy Johnson
Hometown
Oklahoma, United States
Born
February 25, 1909
Genre
Country
b. Clifton G. Johnson, 25 February 1909, Oklahoma, USA, d. 24 April 1976, Turkey, near Memphis, Texas, USA. Raised in rural Oklahoma and Texas, Johnson began playing home made musical instruments from a very early age and eventually became proficient on banjo, guitar and fiddle, in addition to which he also sang in a pleasing baritone. In his early teens he played guitar semi-professionally and continued working by day and playing by night through the 20s. Early in 1930 he joined Bob Wills, who had formed a new band in November the previous year with guitarist Herman Arnspiger. Also in the group, known at the time as the Aladdin Laddies, were singer Milton Brown and guitarist Derwood Brown. Playing tenor banjo, Johnson helped create a new sound that was to become a foundation of western swing. Towards the end of 1930, the band, which had been broadcasting on WBAP–Fort Worth under the sponsorship of the Aladdin Lamp Company, could be heard on KFJZ and WBAP. There, they were sponsored by Burrus Mill promoting Light Crust Flour. The band now became known as the Fort Worth Doughboys.
After personnel changes at the end of 1932 the band was poised to make a huge impact as one of the most popular country bands in the southwest and the archetype of western swing. During this period, Johnson met Elnora Beard who became his first wife when they were married during a March 1934 radio show. When Wills moved on to form his Texas Playboys, Johnson stayed behind for a while but then followed his leader to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and again became a reliable and very popular sideman. Johnson set standards for other instrumentalists, especially fiddlers, and he was respected and well liked by his peers. In 1976, Johnson was playing at a Bob Wills Memorial Fiddle Contest in Turkey, Texas, when he died on-stage. In addition to appearing on some of the many recordings made by Wills and his various bands, Johnson can also be heard on several compilations.
