Trailblazers in Black History: George W. Johnson

Here is a Marconi Velvet Tone Record from 1906 featuring George W. Johnson's famous Laughing Song. Johnson was the first African-American to sing on a record, as early as 1891. His prominent songs during the era of the 1890's were his "Laughing Song" heard here, and also "The Whistling Coon", and "the Laughing Coon". Johnson is one of the Featured Artists on the Grammy Award winning CD "Lost Sounds" (Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry 1891-1922" produced by Archeophone Records.)