About Johnny Griffith
Lived 1936 – 2002 (aged 66). Johnny Griffith was an American pianist and session musician.
John Ellis Griffith Jr. (July 10, 1936 – November 10, 2002) was an American musician.
Biography Born in Detroit, Griffith was a musician who played keyboards for Motown Records' in-house studio band, The Funk Brothers. Among Griffith's most notable performances on the hundreds of Motown recordings he played on are the electric piano on "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" and by The Temptations, and the organ on "Stop! In the Name of Love" by The Supremes and "Shotgun" by Junior Walker & the All Stars. Griffith also played on many of the non-Motown releases with the Funk Brothers, such as "Cool Jerk" by The Capitols and "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" by Jackie Wilson.
Griffith played the Steinway grand piano, the Hammond B-3 organ, the Wurlitzer electric piano, the Fender Rhodes, and the celeste and harpsichord. His musical influences included Bud Powell, Glenn Gould, and Oscar Peterson.
Griffith died of a heart attack in a Detroit hospital on November 10, 2002. He was 66 years old.
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Important facts
People in Johnny Griffith's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Johnny Griffith's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Johnny Griffith?
American musician
When was Johnny Griffith born?
Johnny Griffith was born on 10 July 1936 in Detroit.
When did Johnny Griffith die?
Johnny Griffith died on 10 November 2002 in Detroit.
What was Johnny Griffith's occupation?
Johnny Griffith was a pianist and session musician.
What nationality was Johnny Griffith?
Johnny Griffith was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Johnny Griffith (musician)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Johnny Griffith. https://biography.guide/johnny-griffith-pianist/
MLA: "Johnny Griffith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/johnny-griffith-pianist/.
Chicago: "Johnny Griffith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/johnny-griffith-pianist/.
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