If you’ve ever found yourself snapping your fingers to the slinky, mysterious, and undeniably cool opening notes of The Pink Panther Theme, you know the magic of Plas Johnson. The legendary tenor saxophonist has passed away at the age of 94.
Johnson died on July 15 in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, just six days shy of his 95th birthday. The news was confirmed by Los Angeles jazz radio station KKJZ and his family members.
While he might be best remembered as the musical voice of Inspector Jacques Clouseau’s cinematic adventures, Johnson was far from a one-hit wonder. Born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, and raised near New Orleans, he brought a rich, bluesy, and swinging sound to the West Coast when he moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s.
It was in 1963 that he teamed up with composer Henry Mancini to record the famous Pink Panther solo. Mancini actually wrote the tune specifically with Johnson in mind. The result? A worldwide hit that scooped up three Grammy Awards, earned an Oscar nomination, and etched itself into pop culture history.
Johnson famously recalled that they nailed the track in just two takes, adding with a laugh that even the string players applauded, a rare compliment in the studio world.
Beyond the cinematic spotlight, Johnson was a quiet giant in the recording industry. He was a core member of “The Wrecking Crew,” a legendary group of elite Los Angeles session musicians who were the go-to players for nearly every major record producer of the era. His sax work backed up a lineup of musical royalty, including Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye, B.B. King, and The Beach Boys. He also spent 15 years playing in the house band for The Merv Griffin Show.
Despite playing on countless hit records, the life of a studio musician wasn’t always glamorous. In the 2008 documentary about The Wrecking Crew, Johnson spoke candidly about the fact that session players often went uncredited and unpaid for the massive hits they helped create.
Even if his name wasn’t always on the album covers, his sound was everywhere. Generations of listeners grew up hearing his saxophone on the radio without ever realizing who was behind the mouthpiece.
Johnson leaves behind a massive discography and a legacy that will continue to influence jazz and pop musicians for decades to come. He is survived by his seven children, eight grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.
The music world has lost a true great, but whenever that sneaky, swinging Pink Panther bassline kicks in and the sax takes over, Plas Johnson’s spirit will still be right there.
