Friday, June 09, 2017

Happy 88th Life Affirmation Day To The Late Great Johnny Ace! The First Rock-N-Roll Star & Casualty & Booker T. Washington High School's (Memphis,TN) Most Famous Dropout!!!

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this show are not the official views, opinions, beliefs or perspectives of  W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News or The W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Group Inc....W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News is an organization that thoroughly believes in supplementing the information narrative that is usually supplied by the corporate news entities with those viewpoints/expressions which may be marginalized or ignored for a plethora of reasons...We are about informing the general public on alternative perspectives as it relates to news and information and letting the general public be the ultimate judge in deciding on how to use said information...Informed citizens are responsible citizens...Thank you for your support!!!

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A True Unsung With One More Note To Sing: We All Be Will Never Forget The Late Great Johnny Ace!!!

Posthumous Recipient Of The 2012-2013 Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Award For A Life Dedicated To Excellence In Music & Music Education!!!
http://www.jimmielunceford.com
Sunrise 6/9/1929-Sunset 12/25/1954
 
"The Late Great Johnny Ace" by r2c2h2 Tha Artivist (2011)...11" x 17" prints (11" x14" actual image size) of the featured artwork, "The Late Great Johnny Ace" by r2c2h2 Tha Artivist is available for purchase...Also take advantage of the 5 for $50 art sale deal!!! Visit r2c2h2.com for more details.

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 W.E. A.L.L. B.E. TV: MakIN THE Case For THE Late GREat Johnny Ace: Why Not IN THE Rock-N-Roll Hall Of FaME???" #ThaArtivistThINks

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 W.E. A.L.L. B.E. TV: Johnny Ace's Daughter REaching Out To Ledisi, His Granddaughter: The Family Is Proud Of You!!!
WATCH NOW:
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 W.E. A.L.L. B.E. TV: Never Let Me Go: Johnny Ace's Widow, Lois Alexander, Speaks!!!

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 W.E. A.L.L. B.E. TV: Angel: Johnny Ace's Oldest SiblINg, Myrtle, REMEmBErs HEr BroTHEr

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W.E. A.L.L. B.E. TV: My Brother's Keeper: The Late Great Johnny Ace Remembered By His Brother, St. Clair Alexander


WATCH NOW:

http://youtu.be/fMWn9eCZAPE

In memory of St. Clair Alexander (Sunrise March 15, 1932-Sunset August 5, 2011)

My Brother's Keeper: The St. Clair Alexander Interview

In an exclusive and rare interview soul singer St. Clair Alexander a.k.a. Buddy Ace aka St. Clair Ace reminisces about his brother John Marshall Alexander, Jr. a.k.a. The Late Great Johnny Ace, his achievements and the circumstances surrounding his controversial death.

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News: Brother Of Music Great Johnny Ace, St. Clair Alexander, Used As A Guinea Pig By The U.S. Military, Owed $75,000…
READ NOW:

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W.E. A.L.L. B.E. TV: Tha Artivist Remembers The Late Great Johnny Ace

WATCH NOW:

 

W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News & R2C2H2 Tha Artivist Remembers Forgotten & Unsung Rock-N-Roll Pioneer Johnny Ace, 55 Years After His Tragic Death By An Accidental Self-Inflicted Shooting On Christmas Night At The Age Of 25.

 

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The Late Great Johnny Ace: Dr. James Salem's Partial Interview (10/21/2009)

 

WATCH NOW: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWxMW-pryr8

In Memory Of Dr. James M. Salem
(Sunrise 11/15/1937-Sunset 7/6/2012)

In an exclusive interview with W.E. A.L.L. B.E., Dr. James Salem, acclaimed Johnny Ace aficionado and author of the definitive and exceptional 'The Late Great Johnny Ace & The Transition From R & B To Rock-N-Roll' discusses the extraordinary life, times and achievements of Johnny Ace. 

Unfortunately Dr. James M. Salem passed away July 6, 2012:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tuscaloosa/obituary.aspx?pid=158453336

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W.E. A.L.L. B.E. TV: "Pledging Our Love: The Late Great Johnny Ace Remembered" Dr. James M. Salem (Full Interview)~10/21/2009
 WATCH NOW:

http://youtu.be/EP1clHqD_Zc

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In Memory Of Dr. James M. Salem
(Sunrise 11/15/1937-Sunset 7/6/2012)

In an exclusive interview with W.E. A.L.L. B.E., Dr. James Salem, acclaimed Johnny Ace aficionado and author of the definitive and exceptional 'The Late Great Johnny Ace & The Transition From R & B To Rock-N-Roll' discusses the extraordinary life, times and achievements of Johnny Ace. 

Unfortunately Dr. James M. Salem passed away July 6, 2012:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tuscaloosa/obituary.aspx?pid=158453336

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Happy 88th Life Affirmation Day Johnny Ace!!! The First Rock-N-Roll Star & Casualty & Booker T. Washington High School's (Memphis,TN) Most Famous Dropout...

by Bro. Ron Herd II aka r2c2h2 Tha Artivist aka Tha Artsotrian
W.E. A.L.L. B.E. News Special Report 
John Marshall Alexander Aka The Late Great Johnny Ace (Sunrise 6/9/1929-Sunset 12/25/1954)
Picture: Dick Clark & Johnny Ace in the early 1950s



He Was Arguably Rock & Roll 's First Star & Its First Tragic Hero In History…He Was Born John Marshall Alexander,Jr., One Of 11 Children, Son Of A Preacher Man & A Devout Christian Mother Raised In The Black Church…Although He Was Brought Up In A Strict & Religious Household He Nevertheless Dropped Out Of Booker T. Washington High School & Joined The Navy Eventually Getting Dishonorably Discharged (Johnny Was More Of A Lover Than A Soldier)…However, Johnny Ace Was Baptized & Made On World Famous Beale Street… 

B.B. King & The Godfather of Beale St. aka Andrew 'Sunbeam' Mitchell

The Legendary & Unsung Andrew 'Sunbeam' Mitchell, Music Promoter, Bootlegger, Gangster, Hotel Proprietor & Pimp, Was The True Patron Saint Of The Beale St. Musician...What 'Sunbeam' Mitchell Did For American Music Is Equivalent To What The Medicis Did For The Italian Renaissance & What The Negro Leagues Baseball Did For Major League Baseball...His Mitchell Hotel Provided Shelter, Food & Inspiration For The Black Musician...Sunbeam Gave The Black Musician Not Only Space To 'Woodshed' (An Intense Period Where A Musician Practices & Hones His Craft) But Also A Chance To Reinvent Themselves Aesthetically Speaking, From Men To Supermen...The Mitchell Hotel Was The First Stop On The Road To Glory For Many Future Music Superstars, Luminaries & Icons Such As Ike Turner, B.B. King, Little Richard & Yes Johnny Ace!!! So In Essence The Mitchell Hotel Was A Major Network Hub For The Black Musician, A True Clearinghouse For Legendary Musical Talent...Johnny Ace Sang & Played Piano For The Blues Supergroup 'The Beale Streeters' Which At One Point Included Such Luminaries & Future Icons Such As B.B. King, Bobby ‘Blue’ Band, Earl Forest  & Rosco Gordon…The Beale Streeters Were The Blues Version Of The Hip Hop Group Wu Tang Clan, Or The NBA’s Big 3 In Miami  AKA LeBron James, Chris Bosh, & Dwyane Wade…However, When I Finally Met The Great Bobby 'Blue' Bland In March 2012 He Kindly Corrected Me And Said In So Many Words That It Was The Other Way Around...Johnny Ace Also Hosted A Radio Show At The Innovative & Legendary WDIA Radio Station, The First Station In The U.S. To Feature An All Black-Based & Focused Radio Program Format.

r2c2h2 tha artivist & Bobby Blue Bland (March 2012)...Mr. Bland Told Me That He Thought Johnny Ace Was A Great Singer...


Music Mogul & Visionary Don Robey

Johnny Ace's Big Break Came When He Was Picked By WDIA Program Director & Duke Records Founder David James Mattis To Record 'My Song' (Ace's Friend Bobby 'Blue' Bland Was First Picked To Record Ace's Eventual First Big Hit But Was Not Able To Because He Could Not Read, He Was Illiterate At The Time According To Several Sources)...Legendary & Infamous Houston Nightclub Owner, Chitlin Circuit/Music Promoter, Entrepreneur & Gangster Don Robey Heard Ace & Soon Became Interested In Not Only Hearing Him Sing But Also Shepherding His Career...Don Robey Was A True Music Business Visionary, He Was A Mixture Of Berry Gordy, Russell Simmons, & Suge Knight All In One...The Colorful & Notorious Don Robey Eventually Made Mattis An Offer He Couldn't Refuse & Eventually Became Duke Records' Principal Owner & CEO, Forcing Mattis Out All Together...

Johnny Ace Was The Major Headline Act & Biggest Seller For Duke Records…He Was Rock’s First Superstar & The Top R & B Act In the Country…With His Silky Smooth Voice & Matinee Idol Looks, Johnny Ace Was The Heartthrob Of Young Black Females Everywhere… He Became So Famous And In Demand That Clubs & Other Venues Had To Either Book B.B. King, Little Richard & Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland As His Opening Acts In Order To Get Johnny Ace As The Main Event!!!


Unfortunately, Johnny Ace Took His Life By Accident While Playing With His Gun Backstage During A 5 Minute Break Between Performances At City Auditorium In Houston,TX, On Christmas Night 1954…Johnny Ace Was Known For Playfully Pointing His .22 Caliber Pistol At Folks As Well As Shooting Roadside Signs With It While On Tour...He Would Always Assure Folks That He Knew Where The Bullet Was In The Chamber When He Would Frighten People By Pointing The Gun At Them As Well As At Himself...Allegedly He Pointed His Gun First At His Girlfriend’s Head, Olivia Gibbs,  Who Was Sitting On His Lap Pulling The Trigger With No Bullet Discharging…He Then Pointed The Gun At His Own Head Thinking It Was Empty…Needless To Say It Wasn’t… 

To This Day There Is Still Debate On Whether Johnny’s Death Was Accidental Or Involved Foul Play…

His Funeral Was January 2, 1955, @  Clayborn Temple AME In Memphis, TN, With An Estimated 5,000 People In Attendance…He Is Buried In New Park Memorial Cemetery In South Memphis…His Biggest Hit Came Posthumously, “Pledging My Love”, Which Went No. 1 On The Billboard R & B Charts & Stayed On Top Of The Charts For 10 Weeks Starting February 12,1955...Johnny Ace Was Literally No. 1 With A Bullet…Ironically “Pledging My Love” Was Also The Last Song Another Famous Rock Balladeer & Memphis Musician Recorded, Elvis Aaron Presley…The song is also featured in Stephen King inspired and John Carpenter directed classic car horror movie "Christine" and in the crime drama movie "Bad Lieutenant" starring Harvey Keitel...

It Was Normal Practice For White Artists To Cover Music Hits Made By Black Artists For White America’s Consumption (Think Pat Boone’s Version Of Little Richard’s “Tutti Fruitti”)…However, Ace’s “Pledging My Love” Became So Popular Among White Teenagers That It Created A Demand For ‘The Real Deal’…It Was A Crossover Sensation!!! Johnny Ace’s Bittersweet Success Made It Possible For Folks Like Ray Charles, Sam Cooke,  Jackie Wilson & Others To Have Unprecedented Access To A Mainstream Read White Audience & Greater Commercial Success…

Johnny Ace With 21 Songs & Only A 18 Month Career Laid The Foundation For The Things To Come But For The Most Part His Unique Legacy Seems To Have Laid Almost Forgotten Among The Margins & Weeded Fields Of American Music History…However, That Is All Beginning To Change…

More News Related To The Late Great Johnny Ace

*W.E. A.L.L. B.E. Radio Special*
Pledging Our Love...The Ultimate Johnny Ace Tribute
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And The Best Is Yet To Come!!!

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