Plas Johnson, the jazz saxophonist whose playing defined the Pink Panther theme, died last week at age 94.
Johnson, who was born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, on July 21, 1931, recorded the well-known saxophone part for the theme in 1963 with composer Henry Mancini. The track earned three Grammy Awards and received an Oscar nomination for best original score.
He worked as a session musician on recordings by Frank Sinatra, B.B. King, the Beach Boys, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye, and many others. Johnson moved to Los Angeles in 1954 and later joined the band for The Merv Griffin Show.
In a comment preserved by the Donaldsonville Chief, Johnson recalled the Pink Panther session: “We only did two takes, I think. When we finished, everyone applauded, even the string players.” His career also included solo albums and appearances in the 2008 documentary The Wrecking Crew.
