Jazz drummer Osie Johnson was born as James Johnson on November 1, 1923 in Washington, DC.
Osie worked with Clark Terry in the Navy band 1944-45 and then freelanced around Chicago until hooking up with Earl Hines. He could be heard playing at Minton's Playhouse with Tony Scott, or backing Dorthy Donegan, and toured Europe with Illinois Jacquet, all in the 1950s.
He also played for Sabby Lewis, Coleman Hawkins, Dinah Washington ("Fool That I Am"), Wes Montgomery, Sonny Stittand, and Illinois Jacquet among others.
Louis Hayes
