Margaret Bassett Johnson

DALLAS - Margaret Bassett Johnson, 99, a resident of Walnut Place, Dallas, died peacefully on May 27, 2007. Born Marcella Margaret Bassett, Oct. 24, 1907 in LaGrange, Mo., she was the oldest child of Rev. Wallace Bassett and his first wife, Charlotte. A skilled pianist at an early age, Margaret attended Hannibal- LaGrange College in Missouri and Baylor University in Waco, graduating in 1928 and marrying young tenor and fellow graduate Travis Johnson of Troup. The couple moved to New York City in 1931 to pursue musical careers.

In New York, tall, blond Margaret quickly found work as a model and appeared regularly in newspaper and national magazine ads. In 1936, she joined the Bob Hope radio show as "Honey Chile."

She turned down a Hollywood contract to remain in New York with her husband where they organized the Song Spinners quartet, providing musical backgrounds for "The Wayside Cottage," a radio show dramatizing early American folk Ballads. Here Johnson emerged as one of New York's top vocal arrangers. In 1943 the Song Spinners had two hit records on the Decca Label, "You'll Never Know," backing up crooner Dick Haymes and their own "Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer."

Margaret retired to Dallas with her husband in 1967 and was widowed in 1970. Then she began her final career as a volunteer pianist for organizations throughout Dallas, giving hundreds of sing-along performances at numerous senior rest homes, including Walnut Place, where she became a resident in 2004.

Margaret Bassett Johnson is survived by her brother, Dr. Wallace Bassett of Dallas; her three children, Wallace "Hank" Johnson of Westminster, Md., Janet Presswood of Dallas and Claudia Orpin of Long Beach, Calif.; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. June 16 at Cliff Temple Baptist Church, 125 Sunset Av. Dallas 75208