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Albert C. AmmonsAmerican pianist, king of boogie-woogie and blues jazz
Date of Birth: 23.09.1907
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Albert Ammons: The King of Boogie-Woogie
- Career Beginnings
- Rise to Fame
- The Boogie-Woogie Craze
- Later Career
- Legacy
- Death and Burial
Albert Ammons: The King of Boogie-Woogie
Early Life and InfluencesAlbert Ammons was born in Chicago, Illinois, to parents who were also pianists. He began playing piano at the age of 10 and also played drums in a teenage band. He was soon invited to perform with a group in a Chicago club. After World War I, he developed an interest in blues and studied the work of Chicago pianists such as Thomas Hessel and brothers Jimmy and Alonzo Yancey.
Career Beginnings
In the early 1920s, Ammons worked as a taxi driver while living in Chicago. In 1924, he met fellow taxi driver and pianist Lux Lewis. Together, they formed a duo and began performing at club parties. In 1934, Ammons formed his own band at the DeLisa Club, where he played for two years with musicians Guy Kelly, Delbert Bright, Jimmy Hoskins, and Israel Crosby.
Rise to Fame
Ammons recorded for Decca Records in 1936 under the name "Albert Ammons's Rhythm Kings." Their version of "Swanee River Boogie" sold a million copies. Despite this success, Ammons moved from Chicago to New York City, where he began playing with pianist Pete Johnson. They performed regularly at Café Society and reunited with Lux Lewis, as well as other prominent jazz artists such as Benny Goodman and Harry James.
The Boogie-Woogie Craze
In 1938, Ammons, along with Johnson and Lewis, performed at Carnegie Hall, sparking the boogie-woogie craze. Record producer Alfred Lion was present at the concert and subsequently founded Blue Note Records, recording nine Ammons solos and eight Lewis solos in one day.
Later Career
Ammons recorded as a sideman with Sippie Wallace in the 1940s and also recorded a session with his son, tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons. He also appeared in the 1944 film "Boogie-Woogie Dream" with Lena Horne and Pete Johnson. Although the popularity of boogie-woogie declined after World War II, Ammons continued to find work as a solo performer. He recorded for Mercury Records between 1946 and 1949 with bassist Israel Crosby.
Legacy
Ammons had a significant influence on countless pianists, including Dave Alexander, Dr. John, Hadda Brooks, Johnny Johnson, Ray Bryant, Erroll Garner, Frank Muschalle, Katie Webster, Axel Zwingenberger, and Jörg Hegemann. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.
Death and Burial
Albert Ammons died in December 1949 in Chicago. He was buried in Lincoln Cemetery, Kedzie Avenue, Blue Island, Worth Township, Cook County, Illinois.
