Frank Johnson (c. 1789 – 1871)[1] was an American popular fiddle player and brass band leader based in North Carolina, near Wilmington, United States, for most of the nineteenth century.
[2] Although largely forgotten by history books and often confused with composer Francis "Frank" Johnson, he helped define the sound of African-American fiddle and brass-band music in the mid-19th century.
A contemporary account of Johnson while performing at a "pic nic" describes him: "To say that he is handsome would not be strictly true, and still, when he is living so full of music that his features follow the changes of his tune, it is fair to say he looks very 'becoming'.
[7] The Frank Johnson Band was popular with white planters and often played for state fairs, picnics, cotillions, college commencement balls (e.g., at Chapel Hill, North Carolina), and political rallies (but only for Democrats).
"[5] Johnson's music, among that of other old-time African-American fiddlers, inspired Rhiannon Giddens and Dom Flemons and led to the creation of the Carolina Chocolate Drops in 2005.