TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
Trumpeter Johnny Helms was a pillar of Columbia’s jazz scene for more than fifty years.
A gifted musician from an early age, he was performing in local clubs by thirteen and leading his own band by sixteen.
After beginning his studies at the University of South Carolina, he transferred to the University of Miami, where he played in campus ensembles and worked on club dates with top musicians, including Cannonball Adderley.
Helms eventually returned to Columbia to teach and finish his degree, becoming one of the city’s most active and enduring jazz voices. He appeared at major events such as the JVC Jazz Festival and performed aboard jazz cruises, all while shaping Columbia’s musical identity.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and South Carolina Public Radio, made possible by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.