The music community has been shaken to its core. Jellybean Johnson, one of the cornerstones of The Minneapolis Sound, has died. He was only 69.
“The family of Jellybean Johnson is deeply saddened by the passing of their beloved husband and father, passing just shortly after his 69th birthday this past Wednesday, November 19, on the evening of Friday, November 21, 2025,” Johnson’s family said in a statement to Fox 9.
Personally, this hit me hard because I was able to meet Mr. Jellybean—and ask him a question I’d been wanting to ask since I first heard “777-9311” back in the ’80s.
On July 3, 2018, I was hanging out with some friends (Ms. Faye, Hermon, and Ron—love y’all) at the Minnesota Music Café, a night spot in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. Jellybean had performed with a band that night. I can’t recall their name, but they tore the house down. All night, I’d been trying to figure out a plan to introduce myself—and, more importantly, build up the nerve to do so.
Let me take a moment to put things in perspective: I was fresh off The Mayflower from Alabama. I’d only been in Minnesota for a little over a year and was super excited to call the Land of 10,000 Lakes home. Also, I was excited to be in the birthplace of the Minneapolis Sound.
When I first arrived, I’d heard that some of the artists from the Minneapolis Sound’s heyday were still around. According to the chatter, it was highly possible for me to run into Alexander O’Neal, Brownmark, a member of Mint Condition, a member of Sounds of Blackness, among others. However, before this night, I’d not seen anyone from the era. And boy, I was looking—downtown Minneapolis, Uptown, downtown St. Paul—you name it. So when I saw Jellybean that night, it was like I’d found Waldo in Where’s Waldo?
By the end of the night, the lights were on, the band was putting up their equipment, and regulars were lingering around making small talk with other regulars. Me, I was still plotting to meet the man who was part of music royalty—the man my parents played on 72-inch vinyls. I saw him at stage left putting up his guitar.
Again, I was extremely nervous. My Minnesota friend Ms. Faye gave me some courage. “Go over and say ‘hi,’ Q,” Ms. Faye said. “Go introduce yourself.”
So I did.
“Hey, Mr. Jellybean,” I said while walking closer to the stage. “I hate to bother you, but I just wanted to let you know that I’m a big fan. My parents used to host house parties, and they played you guys’ music all the time.”
Jellybean just looked at me and smiled—then extended his hand. That’s when I relaxed. I was happier than a fat kid in a candy store.
“May I ask you a question?” I stuttered out humbly while shaking his hand.
Again, Jellybean smiled, giving me a friendly nod.
“Man, who came up with the drum pattern on ‘777-9311’?”
“David Garibaldi from Tower of Power! A lot of people think Prince came up with that. Me and Morris were just talking about that the other day.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yes!”
Jimmy Jam, a world renowned producer and member of The Time, later confirmed this via IG direct message when I reached out to him years later. “David Garibaldi programmed the beat in the LinnDrum. He was Morris’s favorite drummer.” He later added, “Linn had different drummers program beats to show what the machines could do. That was David’s.”
The LinnDrum was a drum machine manufactured by Linn Electronics between 1982 and 1985.
I showed Jellybean gratitude for taking the time to say hello and answering my question.
Again, he smiled and extended his hand. We shook hands for the second time, and that was it. That night was like a dream come true.
I’d seen Jellybean several more times throughout the years—a few times at Minnesota Music Café and once at the 2024 Taste of Minnesota where Morris Day and The Time performed—but never again within conversation range. It saddens me that I never got the chance to continue our conversation. I had so many Minneapolis Sound–related questions.
Nevertheless, I’m grateful that I was able to ask him the million-dollar question I’d been wanting to ask the drummer from The Time. And he answered it. Thank you! 🙏🏼
RIP Garry George “Jellybean” Johnson
