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Garry “Jellybean” Johnson, the drummer for The Time and a longtime presence in Minneapolis music, died on November 21, 2025, at age 69. The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that he collapsed at his Brooklyn Park home and died at North Memorial Health Hospital. A cause of death has not been established in the published reports cited here.
What happened to Jellybean Johnson?
Johnson was born Garry Johnson on November 19, 1956, and died two days after his 69th birthday, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. The newspaper reported that he collapsed at home in Brooklyn Park and died at North Memorial Health Hospital. The family-confirmation report by TMZ also said the cause was unknown at publication; no confirmed cause is established in the cited coverage.
Who was Jellybean Johnson?
Johnson was a drummer, guitarist, songwriter and producer whose career connected The Time and Prince’s Minneapolis circle with a broader network of artists and local musicians. He grew up in Chicago before moving to Minneapolis as a preteen. As a teenager, he played with Flyte Tyme, the band that included musicians later recruited by Prince to form The Time around singer Morris Day in 1981, the Star Tribune reported.
The Time became known for songs including “777-9311” and “Cool,” toured as an opening act for Prince, and appeared in Purple Rain. Johnson later joined The Family, another Prince-produced group. MPR News describes the Minneapolis Sound as funk blending new wave, R&B and synth-pop, and identifies Johnson as one of its core architects.
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What was Johnson’s connection to Prince and The Time?
Prince assembled The Time from musicians in the Minneapolis scene, including members of Flyte Tyme. Johnson was the group’s drummer, but that does not mean he played on its first album. The Time’s self-titled debut was released by Warner Bros. in 1981; Prince’s official discography says Prince recorded almost all of it. The available evidence therefore supports describing Johnson as a member of The Time, not as a performer on that debut recording.
Prince’s discography also documents a 1986 WHYT Radio comment praising the band’s potential: “Jesse and Morris and Jerome and Jimmy and Terry had the makings of one of the greatest R&B bands in history.” The quote offers context about Prince’s view of the group, rather than a specific assessment of Johnson.
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What music did he make beyond The Time?
Johnson’s studio and performance work extended well beyond his best-known band. The Star Tribune reported that he worked at Flyte Tyme Productions, the studio operation associated with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and wrote and produced music for New Edition and Mint Condition. MPR News reports that he co-produced Janet Jackson’s 1990 song “Black Cat.” He also played guitar with Twin Cities bands, an important part of his musical identity alongside drumming.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why did Johnson matter to Minneapolis music?
Johnson remained active in Twin Cities clubs and supported younger musicians. Musician Paul Peterson, who played in bands with him beginning in 1983, called him “an absolute icon,” described him as “an architect of the Minneapolis Sound,” and credited him with mentoring young players, according to the Star Tribune.
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Johnson also spoke about the community that shaped him. In a birthday post reproduced by the Star Tribune on November 22, 2025, he recalled The Way, a North Side Minneapolis community center where young people picked up instruments and found a sense of purpose. He wrote that when looking back, he thought not first of major stages or awards, but of “music, community, and the love of people who believed in me long before the world knew my name.”
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Sources
- Minnesota Star Tribune, Jon Bream, “Jellybean Johnson, pillar of Minneapolis music, dies at 69,” November 22, 2025.
- MPR News, Anika Besst and Jacob Aloi, “ ‘Jellybean’ Johnson remembered for his legendary music and love,” December 20, 2025.
- Prince Official Discography, “The Time — The Time.”
- TMZ, “ ‘The Time’ Musician Jellybean Johnson Dead at 69,” November 22, 2025.
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