James 'Stump' Johnson
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Biography
James "Stump" Johnson, born on January 17, 1902 in Clarksville, Tennessee, was an American blues pianist and singer. His family moved to St. Louis around 1909, where he began his career playing piano in the city's brothels. His breakthrough came with the instant hit "The Duck's Yas-Yas-Yas", a popular St. Louis party song. He was also active under various pseudonyms, including Shorty George and Snitcher Roberts. Johnson made numerous recordings throughout his career, some of which were mildly pornographic, such as a version of "Steady Grinding" recorded with Dorothea Trowbridge in 1933. His complete recorded works from 1929 to 1964 were compiled into the album Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order, released posthumously in 1994. Johnson died on December 5, 1969, at the age of 67, due to esophageal cancer.
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