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last mo.

Plas Johnson, Saxophonist Who Made the Pink Panther Solo Famous, Dies at 94

Confirmed by family and multiple outlets, his July 15 death has refocused attention on a seven-decade session career and the recording that made his sound instantly recognizable.

Murió Plas Johnson, el saxofonista que inmortalizó el tema de La Pantera Rosa.
Saxofonista reconocido por su trabajo con figuras importantes del mundo de la música.
Su consagración internacional llegó en 1963, cuando grabó el inolvidable solo de saxofón de The Pink Panther Theme
Plas Johnson, célebre músico de sesión de Hollywood, fallece a los 94 años

Overview

  • Plas Johnson died on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, and his family and outlets including KKJZ and the Donaldsonville Chief confirmed the report.
  • He is best known for performing the signature saxophone solo on Henry Mancini’s 1963 The Pink Panther Theme, a recording that brought him international recognition.
  • Several recent stories noted an inaccurate phrasing in at least one report that implied Johnson co‑composed the theme, but historical records and other coverage credit Henry Mancini as the composer.
  • Johnson spent his final months living in a retirement community and performed there about a month before his death, and his family has not disclosed a cause of death.
  • Across more than seven decades he was a sought‑after session player who worked with names such as Frank Sinatra, B.B. King and Barbra Streisand and whose work on the Pink Panther soundtrack contributed to its Grammy wins and Oscar nomination.