While Elvis Presley’s fame at the time may dominate the recounting of these days, it was actually Johnny Ace who was the most popular artist of the time. Ace’s signature hit ‘Pledging My ...

Seven weeks after Ace’s death, Duke released his single “Pledging My Love,” which topped ... Singer Varetta Dillard made Ace’s death a subgenre: “Johnny Has Gone,” “Salute to ...

In 1954, singer Johnny Ace accidentally killed himself with a gun he did not think was loaded while backstage at a show in Houston. He was 25. His song “Pledging My Love” became a hit the next ...