Johnny Letman, born on September 6, 1917 in McCormick, South Carolina, was an American jazz trumpeter. He started his career with midwest bands like those of Jerry Valentine and Scatman Crothers. In the 1930s, he moved to Chicago and worked with Nat King Cole (1938) and Horace Henderson (1941–42). Letman later relocated to New York City in 1944, collaborating with Cab Calloway (1947–49) and Count Basie (1951). He was extensively involved as a studio musician and in Broadway shows throughout the 1950s and 1960s. His notable albums include The Many Angles of John Letman (1960), A Funky Day in Paris (1968), and I'm Shooting High (1988) with Red Richards, George Kelley, Leonard Gaskin, and Ronnie Cole. He also contributed to albums by Lionel Hampton and Earl Hines. In 1985-86, he led the New Orleans Blues Serenaders on a tour of Europe. Letman passed away on July 17, 1992.
