Several artists charted with remembrance songs about Ace, including ‘Johnny Has Gone’ by Varetta Dillard. ‘Pledging My Love’ would be re-recorded by Elvis Presley in 1977, ironically the ...

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

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 ...