Jellybean Johnson: Minneapolis Music Icon Dies at 69
Garry “Jellybean” Johnson, a founding force of the Minneapolis Sound and member of The Time, died November 21 at age 69. A drummer, guitarist, producer, and mentor, Johnson helped shape a global musical movement while lifting generations of Minnesota artists. His legacy spans iconic hits, historic collaborations, and a lifetime of community impact.
Minnesota has lost one of its musical giants. Garry George “Jellybean” Johnson — drummer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, and cornerstone of the Minneapolis Sound — died on November 21, two days after turning 69. His passing was confirmed by longtime friend Sheila E., who honored him publicly and remembered him as kind, gifted, funny, and completely devoted to the music that shaped his life.
Across the Twin Cities, the news hit hard. For many Black musicians, Johnson was not just a legend from the Prince era. He was living proof that greatness could come from our neighborhoods, our clubs, and our community centers, and that the world would one day listen.
From Chicago Beginnings to Minneapolis Mastery
Born in Chicago and raised in Minneapolis, Johnson was pulled toward music early. He began drum lessons at 13, taught himself guitar by 15, and attended Marshall University High School and the University of Minnesota. By his early twenties he was already a rising force in a young music scene searching for its identity — a scene that soon exploded into a global movement.
Building The Time and a Sound the World Would Follow
When Prince assembled the musicians who would become The Time, Johnson stepped behind the drum kit and helped define the band’s heartbeat. His sharp funk attack, rock edge, and R&B soul shaped classics like “Jungle Love,” “777-9311,” “Cool,” and “The Walk.” His stage presence was electric. His grooves helped carry the Minneapolis Sound far beyond local stages.
Johnson was also part of the Flyte Tyme collective with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, a partnership that helped launch one of the most successful production teams in music history. Even as The Time evolved into Morris Day and The Time and later The Original 7ven, Johnson remained essential to its identity.
A Versatile Studio Force
After The Time initially split in the mid-1980s, Johnson moved deeper into studio work. He became a sought-after producer and session musician whose credits include Alexander O’Neal’s “Innocent” and “Criticize,” Cherrelle’s breakout records, New Edition’s “Crucial,” and Janet Jackson’s rock-driven hit “Black Cat.” His blistering guitar solo on “Innocent” remains one of the defining moments of Minneapolis Sound history.
He returned to The Time for Prince’s film Graffiti Bridge, appeared in Purple Rain, and continued touring with Morris Day while shaping new generations of artists along the way.
The Family and a New Chapter of Creativity
In 1984 Johnson joined The Family, a Prince-assembled project that leaned into moodier, orchestral sounds. The group recorded “The Screams of Passion” and developed a cult following that broadened the Minneapolis Sound’s scope. Years later, they reunited as fDeluxe, with Johnson again grounding the band’s evolution.
Singer Susannah Melvoin described him as a protector and big brother, mourning him as family while urging the world to hold his loved ones close.
A Career That Reached Across Generations
Johnson never stopped playing. He joined Rihanna during the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in 2008 and performed in major Prince tributes, including the Grammy Salute to Prince shows in 2017 and 2020. His long-awaited solo album, Get Experienced, arrived in 2021, followed by continued performances and new recordings.
In 2022 he helped launch the Minneapolis Sound Museum, a project dedicated to preserving the culture he helped build. That same year, he and the surviving members of The Time received the Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award.
A Mentor Who Gave Back to the City That Raised Him
While the world saw a superstar musician, Minnesota artists saw a mentor. Johnson was known for sharing his time, advice, and encouragement with young musicians searching for direction. He carried his success without ego and never forgot where he came from.
In a birthday message posted shortly before his death, Johnson reflected on his journey. He didn’t lead with fame or accolades. Instead, he remembered The Way — the North Side community center where young musicians found one another and unknowingly laid the foundation for a sound the world would come to celebrate.
A Loss Felt Deeply in Minnesota
Jellybean Johnson leaves behind a loving wife, daughter, partner, family, and a musical legacy that continues to ripple through pop, R&B, funk, and rock. He also leaves behind a community that claimed him not just as a legend, but as one of our own.
He was a bridge between eras. A drummer who could switch to guitar without losing power. A studio mind who could produce hits without losing humility. A Black artist who helped put Minneapolis on the map and changed what the world believed could come from this city.
His rhythms pushed a movement. His generosity lifted others. His influence is woven into the sound of Minnesota itself.
Rest in power, Bean. Your city hears you still.