Charles L. Johnson

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Charles Leslie Johnson (December 3, 1876 - December 28, 1950) was an American composer of ragtime and popular music.

Charles L. Johnson was born in Kansas City, Kansas, died in Kansas City, Missouri, and lived all his life in those two cities. He published thirty ragtime compositions including "Doc Brown's Cake Walk," "Dill Pickles," "Apple Jack (Some Rag)," and "Snookums Rag."

He was so prolific that he made use of a pseudonym in addition to his own name: Raymond Birch. Fannie B. Woods, the composer of "Sweetness," was once thought to be another pseudonym of Johnson's, but in 2005 it was discovered that she was a real person. It is also somewhat doubtful that he wrote "Peanuts: A Nutty Rag" (published by Johnson's own publishing company with an author name of Ethel Earnist). He also arranged music for other composers. His biggest money-maker was a sentimental ballad, "Sweet and Low."