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1 of 1977 Sherwood "Shakey" Johnson

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Sherwood "Shakey" Johnson

Metadata

Name	Johnson, Sherwood
Othernames	Shakey
Role	Hall of Fame Me
Spouse	Mary
Sphere Of Activity	Shakey, the Pizza King, loved music in all forms but particularly Dixieland Jazz; you know the 2-beat, foot stomping stuff. Just where would that be without the banjo to fit the beat? Shakey always featured the instrument in his pizza parlors. Over the years while attending jazz festivals all over the country, many a banjo player told of getting his start or playing at a Shakey's someplace. When the original pizza parlor opened in May of 1954 in Sacramento, CA, Shakey would take his turn at the ivories. Soon it became tradition for other piano players to sit in and display their talents. They had better play Dixieland, ragtime or honky tonk or they'd find the keyboard locked down after the first tune. He wanted music but couldn't afford to pay the musicians. Consequently, they got paid with all the pizza and beer they could consume. In those early days you might find Don Van Palta perched atop the piano being played by Jack Duke. These two great musicians deserve the credit for blazing the trail for the whole banjo/piano idea that became such a part of Shakey's franchises all over the world. During a trip to Japan, Shakey dropped in to a Shakey's Pizza Parlor to hear "Old Black Joe" sung in Japanese dialect, accompanied by a banjo, of course. How very American! He felt right at home. Famous for his sing-alongs, a sign in the original Shakey's reads, "If you don't know the words, fake it like the banjo player."

Related Records

1. A History of Sacramento Jazz 1948-1966 A Personal Memoir by Burt Wilson published in 1986. - Book

   2000.001-0010

   Record Type: Library

   
2. Digital copy of magazine articles: Sherwood (Shakey) Johnson 1925-1998; published in Jazz Magazine 1998; memorial Shakey Johnson written by Jane Conrad October 11, 2000; Remembering Shakey from the 1999 Jubilee program. - Clipping, Magazine

   2000.017-0003

   Record Type: Archive

   
3. Fretted Instrument Guild of America ALL FRETS January/February 2006 Paul Doerner - Periodical

   2006.003-0001

   Record Type: Archive

   
4. Fretted Instrument Guild of America ALL FRETS January/February 2008 Kurt Abell - Periodical

   2008.008-0005

   Record Type: Archive

   
5. Fretted Instrument Guild of America ALL FRETS January/February 2012 Lee Floyd - Periodical

   2012.002-0007

   Record Type: Archive

   
6. Fretted Instrument Guild of America ALL FRETS January/February 2013 Cynthia Sayer - Periodical

   2013.003-0004

   Record Type: Archive

   
7. Fretted Instrument Guild of America ALL FRETS May/June 2009 Denny & Kathy Overstreet, John & Linda Dystrup & The Central Illinois Banjo Club Peoria Convention Hosts - Periodical

   2009.002-0007

   Record Type: Archive

   
8. Fretted Instrument Guild of America ALL FRETS November/December 2004 Dolores Borrow - Periodical

   2004.034-0006

   Record Type: Archive

   
9. Fretted Instrument Guild of America ALL FRETS November/December 2008 Jim Barrett - Periodical

   2008.008-0010

   Record Type: Archive

   
10. Fretted Instrument Guild of America FIGA News July/August 2000 Tyler Jackson - Periodical

    2004.094-0024

    Record Type: Archive

    
11. Fretted Instrument Guild of America July/August 1997 Mickey Finn - Periodical

    2004.011-0054

    Record Type: Archive

    
12. Sherwood (Shakey) Johnson - Print, Photographic

    2000.017-0002

    Record Type: Photo

    
13. Sherwood (Shakey) Johnson - Print, Photographic

    2004.043-0001

    Record Type: Photo