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Pete Johnson, a jazz musician was noted as being one of the foremost practitioners of the swinging, eight to the bar boogie woogie piano style. The "King of Boggie" started out as a jazz drummer but switched to piano and became famous for his boogie woogie piano style. He also excelled in blues working in a duo with legendary blues singer Joe Turner, which included a legendary concert at Carnegie Hall in 1938.

He performed and recorded with piano greats Meade Lux Lewis, and Albert Ammons. He also played with Harry James, Hot Lips Page, Budd Johnson, and Clyde Bernhardt. One of his major appearances was in the movie "Boogie Woogie Dream". Johnson toured with Erroll Gardner and Art Tatum, played at the Newport Jazz Festival and gave concerts in France for several years. He retired in Buffalo, NY where he died on March 28, 1967.