Plas Johnson, 94, Dies After Defining The Pink Panther Theme

Q: Which legendary pop songs secretly feature the Pink Panther's iconic saxophonist?

Plas Johnson’s “secret” pop footprint was vast: beyond “The Pink Panther Theme,” the veteran Los Angeles session saxophonist played on a string of famous records that many listeners would not realize feature him. Among the best-known examples cited in accounts of his career are Duane Eddy’s “Rebel Rouser,” the Beach Boys’ “Help Me, Rhonda,” “God Only Knows,” “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times,” and “Good Vibrations,” as well as Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life,” Tina Turner’s “Acid Queen,” and Nicolette Larson’s “Lotta Love.” Johnson’s reach extended well beyond those titles. Reporting on his death and retrospective accounts of his work note that he was a key member of the Wrecking Crew, the elite circle of Los Angeles studio musicians whose contributions often went uncredited on album sleeves. He also recorded with or for Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Nat King Cole, B.B. King, Johnny Otis, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Elton John, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart and Steely Dan, including work associated with Pretzel Logic. That helps explain why Johnson’s sound became so familiar even when his name did not. His tenor saxophone was not only the voice of the Pink Panther; it was also woven into some of the most enduring pop, soul and rock recordings of the 1950s through the 1970s.

Q: How did 'The Wrecking Crew' become the uncredited architects of American pop music?

The Wrecking Crew became the uncredited architects of American pop music because they were the elite Los Angeles session players who actually built the sound of thousands of hit records while remaining largely invisible to the public. From the early 1960s into the mid-1970s, producers and labels relied on this loose circle of musicians for speed, precision and versatility. They could walk into a studio, read charts instantly, improvise memorable parts and deliver polished takes in minimal time. That made them indispensable for artists who lacked strong studio bands, for manufactured pop acts and TV projects, and for stars who wanted a dependable, radio-ready sound. Their reach was enormous. Core figures such as Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, Tommy Tedesco and Plas Johnson played on major recordings by the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel, the Mamas & the Papas and many others. Johnson, who died this month at 94, was one of the group’s standout voices, most famously supplying the tenor sax line on Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther Theme,” one of the most recognizable motifs in American popular culture. They stayed uncredited because session work was designed to serve the featured artist, not the players. Album notes were often incomplete, and the musicians’ job was to disappear behind the act’s brand. Only later, through testimony from members and the 2008 documentary The Wrecking Crew, did the scale of their influence become widely understood.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 21

Plas Johnson died on July 15 in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, at 94, according to reports from jazz station KKJZ and his hometown paper, the Donaldsonville Chief.
Johnson was best known for the tenor saxophone solo on Henry Mancini’s 1963 Pink Panther Theme, a score later ranked No. 20 by the American Film Institute, winning 3 Grammys and an Oscar nomination.
He recalled recording the signature riff in just 2 takes, saying even the string players applauded when the session ended.
Born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, Johnson made his recording debut in 1950 and moved to Los Angeles in 1954, building a long session career with artists including Frank Sinatra, Marvin Gaye, BB King and Nat King Cole.