Johnny Ace

Johnny began playing the piano accordion at age 5 and continued studying at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music until his teens. It was then that he first saw Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan show. Rock and Roll took him and most of America’s young people over. Johnny was front row at most of Alan Freed’s shows at the Brooklyn Paramount and began singing in vocal groups beginning in Junior High School and through high school.

Johnny first heard Cajun and Zydeco music on New York’s WBAI/FM radio and was imprinted with the sound of diatonic accordions that remained within, waiting to be reawakened at the right time. Years later, Johnny, who had become an accomplished five-string banjo player and was heavily into Bluegrass, was attending the Delaware Bluegrass Festival, which had Balfa Toujours booked. Hearing the soulful vocals of Christine Balfa and Courtney Granger along with the accordion playing of Dirk Powell ignited in Johnny the same passion that he had for Bluegrass banjo. He became determined to learn how to play the single row accordion. In that quest, Johnny and his wife Mary attended a Zydeco show. The dance lesson was taught by Jeremy and Laura Rice of Somebody Scream Productions. It was thus that these longtime Salsa dancers became completely hooked on Zydeco. They took advantage of every opportunity to see live bands. Attending a performance of Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners at Havana in New Hope, Pennsylvania, they serendipitously met up with the Allons Danser crew from Philly and learned about the TK Club, a mecca of live Zydeco and Cajun music that has continued to host Louisiana Bands for years. Johnny and Mary have rarely missed an opportunity to see a Louisiana Band there and learn close up what this music is all about.

Johnny first saw Li’l Anne and Hot Cayenne at a Zydeco Laura production at the now defunct La Belle Epoque in NYC. Li’l Anne had just burst on the Zydeco scene with her signature sound. That summer, they attended the Memorial Day Zydeco Festival at Clinton Corners and Johnny got to jam a little with Li’l Anne in the parking lot. She invited Johnny to come up on stage with her at her next show at the TK Club that year.

Johnny will never forget playing “Richard’s Club” with her Hot Cayenne Band that night. It was then that he knew that he had to play in a Zydeco band himself someday. He continued to watch, listen and learn by attending every workshop and festival that he could. His determination paid off as he was able to study with Zydeco masters Sean Ardoin, Brian Jack, Jeffrey Broussard, Step Rideau, and Cajun star Sean Vidrine. The breakthrough came when Mary surprised Johnny with a surprise birthday party and present consisting of a private lesson with the incomparable Steve Riley. After that lesson, Johnny was on his way to developing is own sound and was determined to play in a Zydeco band.

There is a long tradition in this music of giving new players the opportunity to get up on stage and Johnny has been incredibly lucky to have been given that privilege, first from Li’l Anne and then from Dexter Ardoin, T-Broussard, Big Red, Curley Taylor and Li’l Malcolm. Incredibly, Johnny also got the opportunity to rock the house at Mr. A’s club in Houston with J. Paul Jr. (Thanks,Donna!)

Now that Johnny is playing with the fabulous musicians of the Sidewalk Band, he is eager to keep the tradition going by giving new players that attend their shows the opportunity to be backed by the incredible groove of Sidewalk Zydeco and get up on stage with them for a few tunes. This is the way to keep it going and pass on this wonderful music to future generations.