Tweet Grace Johnston

The Capitol's announcement of the Grace Johnston Vitaphone short prompted me to look her up--somehow, her name had always escaped me in my vintage music activites. She's QUITE a singer--listen to her belt out "I'm One of God's Children":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCza72rvh-M

Moanin' Low: A Discography of Female Popular Vocal Recordings, 1920-1933 by Ross Laird reveals that Grace had 18 issued sides on Brunswick and Melotone from 1928-32, as well as the Vitaphone film and two rejects (one of which, "When Your Boy Becomes a Man", was a vocal with the Jacques Renard orchestra planned for release on Brunswick 6180 but apparently never issued).

Her only Broadway credit seems to be Free For All, a musical that ran for 15 performances in September 1931. After her last recording session, information on her activites pretty much disappears. Does anyone know what became of her?

-Harold

I had never heard of her either until we booked this short. I agree, she's very good! Don't know how she eluded me for so long.

Art Pierce
Capitol Theatre
Rome, NY
www.romecapitol.com

She married blackface performer Tyler Mason (note the typo) in July 1931. In the '40s, she was still working the burlesque/revival vaudeville circuit with her husband. Mason, at that point, had a talent agency in (I think) NY, and was sending out revival vaudeville acts.

Black and blue, eh?

Bob

You will love this short. Wonderful singing by Grace, and possibly the hottest jazz segment on Vitaphone by The Original Indiana Five. We were thrilled when the long sought disk finally turned up after years of searching!

I knew Grace Johnston Mason when she lived in Beaumont, Tx. in the '60's. I noticed her great granddaughter left a comment (stephie edwards) Would love to get in contact with her. Do u know how I could do that, or hopefully she will read this? {Karen Maxwell (Rokovich) McKinney} I am on Facebook and my e-mail address is: Msurania2@gmail.com Thanks