Clarence Johnstone


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American vocalist (b. 1885, d. 1953). Part of the American vocal duo “Layton & Johnstone”, Johnstone, along with Turner Layton, sold ten million records between the years of 1924 and 1935. Layton & Johnstone were one of most successful vocal Duettists in the 1920s and 30s, performing for the British nobility at the most prestigious estates and halls. That was until 1934, when Johnstone was implicated in a scandal involving the wife of Albert Sandler, a Violinist in the Palm Court orchestra, the trial was described as follows: “An appeal by Mr Clarence Nathaniel Johnstone, the coloured variety singer, against an award of £2,500 damages to Mr Albert Sandler, the violinist because of the misconduct of Johnstone and Mrs Sandler was heard in the Court of Appeal. The suit came before the President of the divorce division, Sir Boyd Merriman, and a special jury on March 6 and 7, and Mr Sadler was granted a desree nisi.” Johnstone and Mrs Sandler were then married in December of 1935, a month after the Layton & Johnstone split. After which Johnstone returned to America with the former Mrs Sandler, moving into an apartment in Harlem. He found work as messenger for Western Union, 8 years later his wife left him, causing him to fall into a depression, for the next few years he worked as a janitor, dying in a sanitarium in 1953, aged 68.

ALBUMS


Layton And Johnstone
Bye Bye, Blackbird
2002, CD, Comp, Mono, Living Era
Layton And Johnstone
Alabamy Bound
1990, CD, Comp, Mono, Flapper
Layton And Johnstone
When You're Smiling
1986, LP, Comp, Mono, Saville Records
Layton And Johnstone
I’ve Got An Invitation To A Dance / Object Of My Affair
1935, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Say It Isn't So / We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye
1933, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
I’m Gettin’ Sentimental Over You / Gay Divorce - Night And Day
1933, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
I Cover The Waterfront / Mood Indigo
1933, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
In A Little Second Hand Store / Letting In The Sunshine
1933, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Willow Weep For Me / Happy Times
1933, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
I Lost My Heart In Heidelberg / We’ve Got To Put That Sun Back In The Sky
1932, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Time Alone Will Tell / When It’s Sleepytime Down South
1931, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Heartaches / Makin' Faces At The Man In The Moon
1931, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Layton & Johnstone Favourites, Part 1 / Layton And Johnstone Favourites, Part 2
1931, Shellac, 12", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Blue Pacific Moonlight / Here Comes Emily Brown
1930, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Fascinating Little Lady / Reaching For The Moon
1930, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight / When I Passed The Old Church Door
1930, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Adeline / Say A Little Prayer For Me
1930, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
I Remember You From Somewhere / So Beats My Heart For You
1930, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Weary River / Coquette
1929, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
I’ll Always Be In Love With You / Do Something
1929, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
S’posin’ / Excuse Me, Lady
1929, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Absent / Until
1928, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
So Tired / Miss Annabelle Lee
1928, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Away Down South In Heaven / Didn’t I Tell You?
1928, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Glad Rag Doll / Shout Hallelujah ‘Cause I’m Home
1928, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Me And The Man In The Moon / My Blackbirds Are Bluebirds Now
1928, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
The Heart Of The Sunset / That’s The Good Old Sunny South
1928, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
A Garden In The Rain / Dream Mother
1928, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Sometimes I'm Happy / Hallelujah
1927, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Lido Lady - It All Depends On You / The Birth Of The Blues
1927, Shellac, 10", 80 RPM, Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Love’s Old Sweet Song / At Dawning
1927, Shellac, 10", 80 RPM, Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
In The Middle Of The Night / Then I'll Be Happy
1926, Shellac, 10", 80 RPM, Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
When I Say Goodbye To You / Poor Poppa
1926, Shellac, 10", Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Dreaming Of A Castle In The Air / Headin’ For Louisville
1926, Shellac, 10", 80 RPM, Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
I'll Take Her Back (If She Wants To Come Back) / Alabamy Bound
1925, Shellac, 10", 80 RPM, Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Hula Lou / Big Bad Bill
1925, Shellac, 10", 80 RPM, Columbia
Layton And Johnstone
Silver Hair And Heart Of Gold / 'Round The Bend Of The Road
Shellac, 10", Columbia

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