Ace Cannon
Cannon (May 5, 1934 – December 6, 2018) was an American tenor and alto saxophonist. He played and toured with Hi Records stablemate Bill Black's Combo, and started a solo career with his record "Tuff" in 1961, using the Black combo as his backing group. "Tuff" hit No.
Ace Cannon

Hi Records / London Records · Billboard, page 71, 13 April 1968 · Public domain
- Name
- Ace Cannon
- Birth Name
- John Henry Cannon
- Born
- 5 May 1934
- Birthplace
- Grenada, Mississippi, U.S.
- Died
- 6 December 2018
- Place of death
- Calhoun City, Mississippi, U.S.
- Occupation
- Musician
- Nationality
- United States.
- Education
- Memphis Technical High School.
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Documentary summary
Cannon (May 5, 1934 – December 6, 2018) was an American tenor and alto saxophonist. He played and toured with Hi Records stablemate Bill Black's Combo, and started a solo career with his record "Tuff" in 1961, using the Black combo as his backing group. "Tuff" hit No.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q2606720 · wikipedia · Ace Cannon
In this article
Biography
Biography
Cannon worked between 1934 and 2018 across musician and saxophonist. This article rests on 80 catalogued compositions, 1 published texts, 20 issued recordings, 1 digitised documents and 18 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Ace Cannon • Birth Name — John Henry Cannon • Born — 5 May 1934 • Birthplace — Grenada, Mississippi, U.S. • Died — 6 December 2018 • Place of death — Calhoun City, Mississippi, U.S. • Occupation — Musician • Instrument — Saxophone • Label — Hi John Henry "Ace" Cannon (May 5, 1934 – December 6, 2018) was an American tenor and alto saxophonist. He played and toured with Hi Records stablemate Bill Black's Combo, and started a solo career with his record "Tuff" in 1961, using the Black combo as his backing group. "Tuff" hit No. 17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1962, and the follow-up single "Blues (Stay Away from Me)" hit No. 36 that same year. In April 1965, he released Ace Cannon Live (HL 12025); according to the liner notes by Nick Pesce the album was recorded in front of a live audience inside Hi's recording studio, and Pesce claims this was the first time such an album had ever been recorded (as opposed to previous live albums recorded in concert venues). Cannon was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2000. In May 2007, his hometown of Calhoun City, Mississippi, hosted its first annual Ace Cannon Festival, and on December 9, 2008, he was honored with induction into the Mississippi Musicians' Hall of Fame. After years of traveling and entertaining fans the world over, he moved back to Calhoun City in the late 1980s, where he resided until his death. He played numerous dates each year, and would be found most days working on his golf game at his home course. He died at his home on December 6, 2018, at the age of 84.
Albums
Albums
• 1962 - Tuff-Sax (US Hot Albums No. 24) • 1964 - Plays the Great Show Tunes • 1964 - Aces Hi • 1964 - The Moanin' Sax of Ace Cannon • 1964 - Christmas Cheers from Ace Cannon (US Hot Albums No. 44) • 1965 - Live • 1966 - Sweet & Tuff • 1967 - Incomparable Sax of Ace Cannon • 1967 - Memphis Golden Hits • 1967 - The Misty Sax of Ace Cannon • 1968 - Ace Cannon and His Alto Sax in the Spotlight • 1969 - Ace of Sax • 1969 - The Happy and Mello Sax of Ace Cannon • 1970 - Cool 'n Saxy • 1971 - Blowing Wild • 1972 - Cannon Country - Ace, That is! • 1973 - Country Comfort • 1973 - Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me • 1974 - That Music City Feeling • 1975 - Super Sax Country Style • 1975 - Sunday Blues • 1976 - Peace in the Valley • 1977 - Moody Sax From Memphis • 1977 - Sax Man • 1978 - After Hours • 1979 - Feeling Old Feelings • 1980 - Golden Classics • 1980 - At His Best • 1981 - The Entertainer • 1981 - Saxy Sounds of Ace Cannon • 1982 - The Golden Sax of Ace • 1982 - Volume Two • 1983 - A Holiday with Ace • 1984 - Ace Cannon and Al Hirt – All-Time Country Greats • 1984 - A Christmas Mood • 1984 - Ace in the Hole • 1986 - Best Loved Favorites • 1987 - For the Good Times • 1987 - Ace Cannon, Al Hirt – Help Me Make It Through the Night • 1992 - Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain • 1993 - Sweet Dreams • 1993 - Music for Lovers • unknown - Beautiful Sax • unknown - Afternoon Delight • unknown - Lyin' Eyes
Singles
Singles
• Year — Title — | Chart positions — Album • US • 1961 — "Tuff" A — 17 — Tuff-Sax • 1962 — "Blues (Stay Away From Me)" — 36 • "Sugar Blues" — 92 — Singles only • "Volare" — 107 — Looking Back With Ace Cannon • "Rest / Big Shot" — Singles only • 1963 — "Since I Met You Baby" — 130 — Singles only • "Cotton Fields" — 67 — Aces Hi • "Swanee River" — 103 • 1964 — "Searchin'" — 84 • "Empty Arms" — 120 — Nashville Hits • 1965 — "Sea Cruise" — 135 — Singles only • 1966 — "Funny How Time Slips Away" — 102 — Sweet and Tuff • 1968 — "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" — 110 — Incomparable Sax • 1977 — "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" B — — — Peace In the Valley • A Peaked at No. 3 on US R&B chart • B Peaked at No. 73 on US Country Singles
Identity
Identity
Ace Cannon is recorded with the occupation saxophonist. Recorded as a citizen of United States. Recorded with the occupation musician. Established in Library of Congress under n94046779. Established in Discogs under 710688.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
Explore 1934–2018
The full dated record · 3 entries
1934
Ace Cannon was born on 5 May 1934.
2018
Dies at Calhoun City.
2018
Ace Cannon died on 6 December 2018.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Grenada.
Birth place
Calhoun City.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Ace Cannon”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
institutional register
- VIAF cluster 61975554 for Ace Cannon, aggregating national library name authorities.
General reference · VIAF
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2606720: Ace Cannon
General reference · Wikidata
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessinstitutional register
General referenceauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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