NYC #62: George Washington Johnson, Maple Grove Cemetery (3), Kew Gardens, Queens

'GEORGE WASHINGTON JOHNSON
(1846–1914)

THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL AFRICAN AMERICAN RECORDING STAR IN RECORDING HISTORY. ALTHOUGH BORN A SLAVE IN VIRGINIA HE WAS TAUGHT TO READ AND WRITE AND LEARNED MUSIC [.] TRAVELING TO NEW YORK CITY IN THE 1870S HE DEVELOPED A MUSICAL CAREER WITH A STRONG VOICE AND A TALENT FOR WHISTLING AND LAUGHING IN TIME WITH MUSIC. HE PERFORMED ON THE STREETS, FERRIES AND PUBLIC PLACES. ONE OF HIS EARLY SONGS WAS THE LAUGHING SONG. HE RECORDED SONGS IN 1890 FOR THE METROPOLITAN PHONOGRAPH COMPANY AND WITH THOMAS EDISON ON WAX CYLINDERS. THE EARLY RECORDINGS WERE DONE INDIVIDUALLY BY GEORGE. BEST SELLERS IN THE UNITED STATES, SELLING OVER 50,000 COPIES.

"HE NEVER THOUGHT OF HIMSELF AS A PIONEER BUT AS THE FIRST BLACK RECORDING ARTIST HE MADE HISTORY."            TIM BROOKS LOST SOUNDS

FRIENDS OF MAPLE GROVE CEMETERY – MUSICARES 2014'