Johnson was born in Marshall, Texas in February 1910 and raised in Algiers, New Orleans.

Johnson danced and sang with this ensemble, and also played banjo and tom-toms.

[1][19] He moved to Los Angeles in the middle of the decade, and played with Emerson Scott's band at the Onyx Club in Hollywood.

[21] His sidemen included Teddy Buckner, Karl George, Buddy Banks, Marshal Royal, Jack McVea, Johnny Miller, and Buddy Collette.

The ensemble appeared in many films, and was active until at least 1954;[22] he toured South America in 1953.