Biography
Lil Johnson (born 1900, date of death and places of birth and death unknown) was an American singer active in the 1920s and 1930s, best known for her recordings of dirty blues and hokum songs characterized by risqué, suggestive lyrics delivered in a vigorous and sometimes abrasive style. No details of her early life or origins are known, but she emerged in the Chicago recording scene in 1929, cutting her first five songs accompanied by pianists Montana Taylor and Charles Avery, including 'Rock That Thing.' After a six-year hiatus, she returned to the studio in 1935 with bolder material such as 'Get 'Em from the Peanut Man (Hot Nuts),' 'Anybody Want to Buy My Cabbage?,' and 'Press My Button (Ring My Bell),' which featured explicit double entendres like 'Just put your hot dog in my bun.'
From her second session onward, Johnson formed a key partnership with ragtime-influenced pianist Black Bob, who provided lively support for her increasingly provocative tunes. Between 1936 and 1937, she recorded over 40 songs, primarily for Vocalion Records, often featuring additional musicians like guitarist Big Bill Broonzy and trumpeter Lee Collins on select tracks, as well as Alfred Bell on trumpet for 'New Shave 'Em Dry.' Notable releases included 'Keep A-Knockin'' (later a hit for Little Richard), 'Was I?,' 'My Stove's in Good Condition,' 'Take Your Hand Off It,' and 'Buck Naked Blues.' Her music blended classic blues with hokum humor, though she occasionally toned down lyrics due to emerging censorship and shifting tastes.
Johnson's recording career ended abruptly in 1937, with no records of her life thereafter. Her songs have been widely anthologized on later blues collections, such as the Document Records' Lil Johnson Vols. 1–3, preserving her rollicking, good-time contributions to Chicago blues and dirty blues traditions.
Fun Facts
- Johnson's 1935 song 'Press My Button (Ring My Bell)' contains the explicit lyric 'Come on baby, let’s have some fun / Just put your hot dog in my bun,' exemplifying her bold hokum style.
- She recorded three versions of her best-known song 'Get 'Em From the Peanut Man (Hot Nuts).'
- Her track 'Keep A-Knockin'' predated and directly influenced Little Richard's 1950s rock 'n' roll hit of the same name.
- Virtually nothing is known about Johnson's life outside her recordings, including her fate after 1937, making her one of the most enigmatic figures in early blues.
Musical Connections
Key Collaborators
- Black Bob - primary pianist and frequent accompanist from second session onward (over 40 songs including 'Get 'Em from the Peanut Man (Hot Nuts)', 'New Shave 'Em Dry') [1935-1937]
- Montana Taylor - pianist on debut recordings (five songs including 'Rock That Thing')
- Charles Avery - pianist on debut recordings (five songs including 'Rock That Thing')
- Big Bill Broonzy - guitarist on select tracks (various 1936 recordings)
- Lee Collins - trumpeter on select tracks (various Vocalion recordings) [1936-1937]
- Alfred Bell - trumpeter ('New Shave 'Em Dry')
- Tampa Red - guitarist on one track ('House Rent Scuffle')
Artists Influenced
- Little Richard - covered her version of 'Keep A-Knockin'' as a major hit ('Keep A-Knockin'') [1950s]
Connection Network
External Links
Tags: #blues, #vaudeville-blues
References
Heard on WWOZ
Lil Johnson has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.