Jellybean Johnson, The Time Drummer, Dies at 69

Jellybean Johnson, the pioneering drummer and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work with Prince's funk rock band The Time, died suddenly on Friday at the age of 69. The news, confirmed by his family, came just days after his birthday on November 19, leaving the music community in mourning.

Johnson, whose full name was Garry George Johnson, was born in Chicago in 1956 and moved to Minneapolis with his family at age 13. There, he taught himself to play drums and guitar, honing his skills in local neighborhoods alongside future collaborators like Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Morris Day. His early involvement in the band Flyte Tyme laid the groundwork for what became the Minneapolis Sound, a genre-blending style of funk, rock, R&B, new wave, and synth-pop that dominated the 1980s and influenced generations of artists.

In 1981, Prince recruited Johnson as the original and sole drummer for The Time, a group formed as part of the musician's Warner Bros. contract to develop other acts. Johnson provided the rhythmic backbone for the band's debut album, The Time (1981), What Time Is It? (1982), and Ice Cream Castle (1984), contributing to hits like "Jungle Love" and "The Bird." The...