Plas Johnson, the acclaimed US jazz saxophonist whose tenor saxophone performance defined the iconic 1963 The Pink Panther Theme, has died at the age of 94. According to reports from the Los Angeles jazz radio station KKJZ, the musician passed away on 15 July. The Donaldsonville Chief, his hometown newspaper in Louisiana, confirmed that Johnson died in the Granada Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, just six days before he would have turned 95.
Born in Donaldsonville, Johnson began his musical journey singing with his family before his father, who played both banjo and saxophone, gifted him a soprano saxophone. He launched his recording career in 1950 alongside his brother, Ray, for DeLuxe Records, later touring with pianist and singer Charles Brown. By 1954, Johnson had relocated to Los Angeles, eventually transitioning to alto and tenor saxophone and establishing himself as a prominent session musician.
Throughout his prolific career, Johnson recorded with a wide array of legendary artists, including Frank Sinatra, BB King, Johnny Otis, Marvin Gaye, and Nat King Cole. Reflecting on his session work, Johnson once noted, "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 and I was used to maybe do[ing] fills behind the vocalist after that."
He is perhaps most widely recognized for his collaboration with composer Henry Mancini on the score for The Pink Panther. The film's score earned three Grammy awards and an Oscar nomination for best original score at the 37th Academy Awards, eventually ranking 20th on the American Film Institute’s list of the greatest film scores of all time. Recalling the recording session for the theme, Johnson told the Donaldsonville Chief, "We only did two takes, I think. When we finished, everyone applauded, even the string players." He added with a laugh, "And that’s saying something … They never applaud for anything."
News of his passing was also shared by family members in Louisiana via social media, with one relative posting a tribute to the musician on Facebook on 17 July.
