Albert C. Ammons (March 1, 1907 โ December 2, 1949) was an American boogie-… Read Full Bio ↴Albert C. Ammons (March 1, 1907 โ December 2, 1949) was an American boogie-woogie pianist.
Ammons formed his own band in 1934, and in 1938 performed in the Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall, which among other achievements launched the boogie-woogie craze. He and two other performers at the concert, Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson, became the leading boogie-woogie pianists of the day. The three worked together at Cafรฉ Society and also toured and recorded as a trio.
His biggest hit was "Swanee River Boogie". Ammons played the melody of "Old Folks at Home" over a boogie woogie bass. The recording was used as a theme song by pioneer rhythm and blues disk jockey Gene Nobles on WLAC radion in the 1950s.
He worked steadily till his death in 1949; he played at Harry S. Truman's inauguration that year.
He is the father of tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons.
Ammons has had wide influence on countless pianists such as Dave Alexander, Dr. John, Hadda Brooks, Johnnie Johnson, Ray Bryant, Erroll Garner, Frank Muschalle, Katie Webster, Axel Zwingenberger, and another German pianist, Joerg Hegemann, who honoured Ammons on the occasion of his 100th birthday in 2007 with his album A Tribute To Albert Ammons.
Ammons formed his own band in 1934, and in 1938 performed in the Spirituals to Swing concert at Carnegie Hall, which among other achievements launched the boogie-woogie craze. He and two other performers at the concert, Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson, became the leading boogie-woogie pianists of the day. The three worked together at Cafรฉ Society and also toured and recorded as a trio.
His biggest hit was "Swanee River Boogie". Ammons played the melody of "Old Folks at Home" over a boogie woogie bass. The recording was used as a theme song by pioneer rhythm and blues disk jockey Gene Nobles on WLAC radion in the 1950s.
He worked steadily till his death in 1949; he played at Harry S. Truman's inauguration that year.
He is the father of tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons.
Ammons has had wide influence on countless pianists such as Dave Alexander, Dr. John, Hadda Brooks, Johnnie Johnson, Ray Bryant, Erroll Garner, Frank Muschalle, Katie Webster, Axel Zwingenberger, and another German pianist, Joerg Hegemann, who honoured Ammons on the occasion of his 100th birthday in 2007 with his album A Tribute To Albert Ammons.
Albert's Special Boogie Woogie
Albert Ammons Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Albert Ammons:
In a Little Spanish Town Evenings are crowded with memories Thrilling me again Like t…
Lady Be Good Listen to my tale of woe, It's terribly sad but…
Oh Listen to my tale of woe, It's terribly sad but…
Oh Lady Be Good Listen to my tale of woe, It's terribly sad but…
Roll 'em Well, I got a gal, she lives up on the…
Sheik of Araby "I'm the Sheik of Araby, Your love belongs to me. At…
St Louis Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
St Louis Blues II I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
St. Louis Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
The Sheik of Araby "I'm the Sheik of Araby, Your love belongs to me. At…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Theophilus Martins
Albert Ammons is the man! This piece is very rhythmic, almost sounds like an improvisation too.
Maratnahs Alleroif
This guy plays it so freaking good
MPL Consulting
The best piano player of all times! I love his style!
Full Tilt Boogie Woogie
Fantastic!! I'm loving Albert Ammons Style!!๐๐
zeus 5029
At 65 yrs. This made cry like a baby.
My dad used to play this for me, when about 10 years old.
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lars
Just when I was trying to convince a fellow piano player who plays this style (way better than me) that Meade Lux Lewis was the best of the big three (The other two being Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson) then this appears. Thanks for sharing. He unleashes an awesome left hand and new riffs that have little overlapping with his other numbers.
Jim Saunders
Give Jimmy Yancey a listen.
lars
@Jim Saunders Yancey was considered the father of the style. Clarence Pinetop Smith put out that vintage boogie arrangement, and there were other offshoots like "the fives", but Ammons, Pete Johnson, and Meade Lux Lewis were te big 3..Ammons was the most dazzling technically, Johnson had some beautiful melodies, but I am one of the rare , ones that liked, Meade Lux Lewis the best because I like his style and no 2 songs by him sound alike. He was the most creative
Sunnyland 39
Big Maceo Merriweather is among the best as well
Terry Swanson
Awesome playing!!!