Saxophonist Plas Johnson, known for solo on The Pink Panther Theme, dies aged 94

Jazz saxophonist Plas Johnson has died at the age of ninety-four. The Guardian (World) reports that Johnson, a native of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, died in Los Angeles on the fifteenth of July, citing a report from the jazz radio station K K J Z. Johnson was best known for his solo on The Pink Panther Theme, and across a long career he recorded with artists including Frank Sinatra and B B King. That theme, written by Henry Mancini, remains one of the most instantly recognizable pieces of music in American film.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton