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12/03/2025

Why Margaret ‘Countess’ Johnson Is A Forgotten Pioneer Of Kansas City Jazz

For 80 years, a story has remained buried under the tales of the great men of Kansas City jazz, from Count Basie to Charlie Parker. Living and playing alongside them was another legend, pianist Margaret “Countess” Johnson, one of the first women to lead a career as a jazz musician in Kansas City.

Unfortunately, Johnson’s life was very short—she died at just 20 years old. Very little survives of Johnson today: only two identified photos; a handful of recordings from a 1938 session with Billie Holiday, including “The Very Thought of You,” that display her effortless phrasing; a few article clippings; and a couple of anecdotes passed down through the Johnson family tree.

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Photo courtesy of the American Jazz Museum

American Jazz Museum