Plas Johnson, the tenor saxophonist whose iconic solo defined The Pink Panther Theme, died on 15 July 2026 in Granada Hills, Los Angeles. He was 94. Los Angeles radio station KKJZ first reported his death.
Johnson recorded the celebrated Pink Panther solo with composer Henry Mancini in 1963. The score won three Grammy awards and received an Oscar nomination for best original score at the 37th Academy Awards.
Born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, Johnson began his career singing with his family before his father bought him a soprano saxophone. He made his recording debut in 1950 with his brother Ray for DeLuxe Records and later toured with Charles Brown. After moving to Los Angeles in 1954, he became a prolific session musician, joining the famed studio collective known as the Wrecking Crew. His extensive credits included work with Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Barbra Streisand, and he spent 15 years performing in the Merv Griffin Show band.