Letman, “Johnny” John (1917-1992)

Trumpeter; born in McCormick, SC; studied trumpet and mellophone in Chicago; played with the Nat Cole combo(1938), Horace Henderson and Red Saunders (1941-42); worked with Teddy Buckner and John Kirby in Detroit; settled in New York in 1944 and played with the Phil Moore Four at Café Society, Lucky Millinder (1945), Cab Calloway (1947-49), and Count Basie (1951); he headed his own combo and recorded with Joe Thomas, Stuff Smith, Chubby Jackson and Panama Francis (1958-60); he free-lanced in the 1950s-1960s and was active in television and on Broadway; as a bandleader, he recorded four titles between 1959 and 1968 including Black and Blue; he made a few recordings in Paris (1968), and with Lionel Hampton, Cozy Cole and Earl “Fatha” Hines (1977); his New Orleans Blues Serenaders toured Europe (1985-86).

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Selected Albums