Albert Ammons (Albert Clifton Ammons) was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 1, 1907 to parents who were both pianists themselves. He is said to have been playing by the age of ten, with his interest in boogie-woogie being encouraged by his fathers interest in the same style, along with his long time friend and boogie-woogie pianist Meade Lux Lewis. After world war one, working as a taxi driver in the 20’s along side Meade Lux Lewis, they began performing regularly at clubs and Ammons eventually formed the band ‘Rhythm Kings’ with whom he recorded the highly popular ‘Boogie Woogie Stomp’ and ‘Swanee River Boogie’ for Decca records in 1936. Later on, moving to New York, he gigged with two other well known boogie-woogie pianists, Pete Johnson and Meade Lux Lewis, who recorded as the ‘The Boogie-Woogie Trio’. Of interest, although the boogie-woogie fad had began to die down by this time, in 1949 he played at the White House for the inauguration of President Harry S. Truman.
Ammons is said to have died of natural causes on December 2, 1949, in Chicago, sadly he was only 42. He was interred at the Lincoln Cemetery, Blue Island, Worth Township, Cook County, Illinois.
Albert Ammons – like many of the original artists – never made a huge amount of Albums (by today’s standards). Most of the albums you find will be different compilations that have been put together over the years, long after his death. The two of note then, would be ‘Boogie Woogie’ and ‘8 To The Bar’ from 1941, although the contents of these can of course be found else where. Bare in mind of course, that these recordings weren’t only Ammons alone, but also included Pete Johnson and Meade Lux Lewis on various tracks. I’ve included a few different Albums that you may wish to check out, these were put together posthumously, but offer a good selection of his material. There are of course plenty of other newer compilations available.
More of his recordings were sold as singles – as was the time – with perhaps ‘Boogie Woogie Stomp, Swanee River Boogie’ and ‘Shout For Joy’ being the most well known. My personal favourite is probably ‘Suitcase Blues’ which Ammons adapted from Hersal Thomas. Without doubt, Albert Ammons was a key figure in the formulation of the style of Boogie Woogie and has been a massive influence on pianists ever since.
| Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis – Boogie Woogie | 1941 |
| Boo-Woo Woo-Woo Roll ‘Em Pete Boogie Woogie | Boogie Woogie Prayer (Part One) Boogie Woogie Prayer (Part Two) Shout For Joy Bear Cat Crawl |
| Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson – 8 To The Bar | 1941 |
| Cuttin’ the Boogie Barrel House Boogie Boogie Woogie Man Walkin’ the Boogie | Sixth Avenue Express Pine Creek Foot Pedal Boogie Movin’ the Boogie |
| Albert Ammons – Pete Johnson / Jimmy Yancey – Boogie Woogie Man | 1969 |
| A. Ammons – P. Johnson Barrel House Boogie Boogie Woogie Man Cuttin’ The Boogie Pine Creek Sixth Avenue Express Foot Pedal Boogie Movin’ The Boogie Walkin’ The Boogie | J. Yancey Yancey Stomp State Street Special Tell ‘Em About Me Five O’Clock Blues Yancey’s Bugle Call Death Letter Blues 35th And Dearborn Crying In My Sleep |
| Albert Ammons – The King Of Boogie Woogie | 1981 |
| Monday Struggle Boogie Woogie Boogie Woogie Blues Boogie Woogie Stomp Chicago In Mind Bass Goin’ Crazy Boogie Woogie At The Civic Opera | I Don’t Want To See You Swanee River Boogie The Clipper Ammons Stomp Why I’m Leaving You Tuxedo Boogie Baltimore Breakdown |
| Albert Ammons / Pete Johnson – Boogie Woogie Classics | 1983 |
| Albert Ammons Boogie Woogie Stomp Boogie Woogie Blues Bass Going Crazy Twos And Fews Chicago In Mind Suitcase Blues | Pete Johnson Holler Stomp Kansas City Farewell Vine Street Bustle Barrelhouse Breakdown Some Day Blues You Don’t Know My Mind |
| Albert Ammons – The Boogie Woogie Trio Vol. 1 | 1995 |
| Boogie Woogie Prayer Foot Pedal Blues Jumpin’ The Boogie Cuttin’ The Boogie St. Louis Blues Lady Be Good The Sheik Of Arabia Pistol Packin’ Mama Rumboogie Boogie Woogie Man Six Wheel Chaser | Yancey Special (Boogie Woogie) J. J. Boogie Swanee River Blues St. Louis Blues Glendale Glide St. Louis Blues Boogie Tidal Mr. Freddie Blues Spoony Sam Six Wheel Chaser Meade’s Boogie |
| Albert Ammons – The Boogie Woogie Trio Vol. 2 | 1997 |
| Pinetop Blues G Flat Blues Washington Blues Jesse James Has Anyone See Corrine St. Louis Blues Woo Woo Saturday Night Struggle Hersal Blues Bear Car Crawl Pete’s Blues Try Again | Mama’s Blues Shout For Joy Boogie Woogie Prayer Boogie Woogie Boogie Woogie Jump Jo J o Four O’Clock Blues Dupree Blues Monday Struggle Chapel Blues Closing Time |