Ted Johnson (bandleader)

[1] Born in 1903 [1] to parents from the Swedish province of Skåne, Johnson grew up in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis, where Scandinavian music was frequently heard in the lodges and meeting halls.

Appearances on local radio stations (WCCO, WDGY and WTCN) [1] and records on the Columbia and Vocalion labels [3] spread their fame throughout the Upper Midwest.

[4] The Minnesota Historical Society has an autographed photo of Skarning that he inscribed to his "old friend Ted Johnson, violinist par excellence."

[2] Johnson's choice of material was influenced by his time spent with the Olle i Skratthult band, and his discography had several songs in common with that group.

Harvey's albums, produced by the renowned ethnomusicologist Maury Bernstein,[7] included three songs from Ted Johnson's repertoire.