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Johnny Ace was performing at the City Auditorium in Houston, Texas. It was Christmas day and during a break with his bandmates, he began playing with his .22 caliber revolver. This was not uncommon for Johnny Ace as he often played with his gun and would shoot roadside signs while they were driving from place to place. The group was in a happy mood and Johnny Ace had even bought himself a new 1955 Oldsmobile just an hour earlier.
Johnny Ace was pointing the gun around the room, even at his girlfriend and another woman. He was told to be careful with it. Johnny Ace was cocky and laughed at the concern. He said that he knew which chamber was loaded and which was empty. He held the gun up to his head and said “It’s okay! Gun’s not loaded…see?” Unfortunately, what the people saw was the bullet entering the side of his head and killing the young singer.
“Big Mama” Thornton then ran out of the room screaming that Johnny Ace had killed himself. Even though it was widely reported that Johnny Ace died during a game of Russian Roulette his bandmates and others at the scene state that no one was playing Russian Roulette.
The funeral for Johnny Ace was held on January 2nd, 1955. An estimated 5,000 people attended the funeral and the singer was buried in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. After his death, people clamored for his music and “Pledging My Love” was released after his death on February 12th, 1955. All of his singles were then released as a full album called The Johnny Ace Memorial Album.
I just looked through my albums and I just happen to own one of these Memorial Albums.