Saxophonist Plas Johnson, known for solo on The Pink Panther Theme, dies aged 94
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Plas Johnson died at age 94 on July 15 in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, according to KKJZ and the Donaldsonville Chief — six days before his 95th birthday.
- Johnson recorded the tenor saxophone solo on Henry Mancini's "The Pink Panther Theme" in 1963; the score won three Grammy awards, was nominated for an Oscar for best original score, and was ranked 20th on the American Film Institute's list of greatest film scores ever.
- Johnson recalled recording the solo in just two takes, joking that "everyone applauded, even the string players" — a rare compliment from the session's string section.
- Johnson moved to Los Angeles in 1954 after switching from soprano to alto and tenor saxophone, becoming a prolific session musician who recorded with BB King, Frank Sinatra, Marvin Gaye, and Nat King Cole.
- Johnson made his recording debut in 1950 alongside his brother Ray for DeLuxe Records before touring with singer and pianist Charles Brown; he credited his father, a banjo and saxophone player, with sparking his career by buying him his first soprano sax.
- Johnson described his session approach: "My solos always seemed to bring the record up another notch. I could do that in eight bars, I could do that in 12 bars" — a hallmark of his behind-the-vocalist fills.
- Johnson's death was first reported by KKJZ and the Donaldsonville Chief, then confirmed on social media by a Louisiana-based family member on Facebook on July 17.
Why it matters: Johnson's two-take Pink Panther solo became one of cinema's most recognizable riffs — the AFI ranked the score 20th on its greatest film scores list, and it won three Grammys. His death closes a chapter on the golden-age Hollywood session musicians who shaped the sound of mid-century American pop and jazz, from Sinatra to Marvin Gaye.
