The Legendary King of Skiffle - LONNIE DONEGAN
(Extracts from Concert Programmes spanning Lonnie's carreer)
One of the most important events in musical history began on July 13th 1954.
The Chris Barber Jazz Band were recording their first album at the Decca Studios, Maida Vale, London. Having concluded their Jazz tracks satisfactorily, Chris Barber and his banjo player Lonnie Donegan told the A. & R. Man, “Now we want to record a couple of ‘Skiffle’ songs”. – (These would be sung by Lonnie, accompanying himself on his acoustic guitar, with Chris ‘slapping’ along on the string bass). Very reluctantly, the A and R man agreed to allow them the freedom of the studio while he took a coffee break. The result of the ‘caffeine fix’ was two tracks of music, which were to change the musical and social face of the British Empire forever!
Lonnie’s version of American Folk Music which, because of its Jazz content, the band had christened ‘Skiffle Music, was to sweep away the popularity of the ‘Establishment’ soporific crooners and pave the way for Britain’s ecstatic embrace of Afro-American Rhythm! – And what more apt title than Lonnie’s first record release, Rock Island Line.
Rock Island Line went on to sell millions all over the world, particularly in America, where Lonnie’s record was competing in the charts with a young American boy called Elvis! Soon, Lonnie was contacted by an American Agent and flown to New York to appear on the “PERRY COMO TELEVISION SHOW” during, which he also worked in a comedy sketch alongside RONALD REAGAN entitled ‘What is a Lonnie Donnegan...?’
Following this television appearance, (Lonnie’s first appearance outside the Jazz band) he found himself booked to appear at the ‘TOWN AND COUNTRY CLUB’, a huge Night Club in New York. However! – due to Musicians Union restrictions – without even a guitar! Lonnie had made friends with Pete Segers fabulous folk group ‘THE WEAVERS’ and their guitarist, Fred Hellerman volunteered to accompany Lonnie on stage.
Lonnie went on to play at Rock ‘n’ Roll shows alongside all the founders of the current music scene including other legend such as - Chuck Berry, Frankie Lyman, and & the Teenagers, the Diamonds, Bill Haley’s Comets, Johnny Burnett Rock and Roll Trio and Count Basie.
MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH
Lonnie received a telegram from NIXA, his new company, simply demanding: - “COME HOME-LOST JOHN No.2” So home he flew, put together a new Skiffle Group, which consisted of Mickey Ashman, Lonnie’s old buddy from the Chris Barber rhythm section playing string bass, and Following this television appearance, (Lonnie’s first appearance outside the Jazz band) he found himself booked to appear at the ‘TOWN AND COUNTRY CLUB’, a huge Night Club in New York. However! – Due to Musicians Union restrictions – without even a guitar! Lonnie had made friends with Pete Segers fabulous folk group ‘THE WEAVERS’ and their guitarist, Fred Hellerman volunteered to accompany Lonnie on stage.
Nick Nicholls, a recommendation from Monty Sunshine, playing drums. For his lead guitar player, Lonnie had searched through the Skiffle Cellars and Coffee Bars, which had sprung up during his absence in the United States. He found a very promising Skiffle group!
‘YEAR OF THE WASHBOARD’
This was led by a young student named Wally Whyton, playing in a Cellar named the ‘Cat’s Whiskers’. The Guitar player, Johnny Booker took Lonnie’s ear and they arranged to meet at the recording studio the following day. The following day dawned and all were assembled - minus Johnny Booker!
After waiting for an hour, the producer, Dennis Preston, insisted on phoning for a replacement guitar player and suggested a well known’ session player’ named Denny Wright. Lonnie had played with Denny on “Jam sessions, but considered Denny to be professionally above the musical standards of Folk Music, but time and tide wait for no man”! Denny was summoned from his bed, he Taxied to a Music shop, borrowed an ‘acoustic guitar,’ rushed into the recording studios, and said-
“What key Cock?” The red light came on and so began an incredible run of record successes starting that day with; - ‘Bring a little water Sylvie,’ Don’t you rock me Daddy-O’ and our first album. Later sessions were to produce a fantastic run of “32-“Top 20” HITS.”1957 was undoubtedly the “YEAR OF THE WASHBOARD,” Lonnie Donegan’s year. Every teenage in Britain was either, in Skiffle group or listening to Skiffle group and from Lonnie Donegan’s musical lead grew every Rock group in Europe.
If you climb down from “THE ROCK TREE”, you will find at its roots:
The Worried Men................................. Adam Faith
The Railroaders................................... Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch.
Dick Teague Skiffle Group.................... Cliff Richards.
The Space Men.................................... Joe Brown, Pete Oakman
Them...................................................Van Morrison, Jackie McCauley
QUARRYMEN SKIFFLE GROUP
Paul McCartney Gtr, John Lennon Gtr, Colin Hanton, Drums, Len Garry, Tea Chest, Eric Griffiths, Gtr.
November 23, 1957.
As Paul McCartney wrote:
When we were kids in Liverpool in the late ‘50s, we loved ‘Rock-n-Roll”, and we loved American artists, but the man who really started the craze for the guitars as far as I am concerned was Lonnie Donegan
Me and my mates followed his gigs with interest.
Lonnie was the first person we heard of from England to get the coveted number one in the charts with ‘Rock Island Line’ and we studied his records avidly and even did a few of his numbers.
We all bought guitars in order to be in a Skiffle group and it was this craze which swept the country;
Lonnie’s great vocal style was, and still is, highly original, and his love of the blues and early folk music is something we all could relate to very easily.
So for those of us there, in those early days, he was the man. In later years I grew to know him as a friend and was not in any way let down. He is a great guy with a true love of good music and many of us owe him a huge debt of gratitude”.
“Long live Lonnie!” Paul McCartney
He rode high in the charts alongside Presley until the Quarrymen Skiffle group changed their name to the Beatles. They and the Mersey sound, took over the record market leaving Lonnie little choice but to switch his act to suit cabaret audiences around the world’s top nightspots. He spent the late 60’s and most of the 70’s starring in ‘seasons’ at such places as Las Vegas, New York, London and Hollywood. By the early 80’s, theatres were reclaiming demand for the King of Skiffle in Britain. Because the workload there, Lonnie had moved to the USA, but returned home annually to fulfil concert and TV appearances. He also undertook his first stage musical role in 1984 when he starred as MR CINDERS in London’s West End. The BBC series, ‘Rockcliffe’s Babies’ enlisted him for a ‘straight-acting’ role for one appearance on this popular TV show. A further appearance followed shortly after with further drama offers for consideration.
1989 and the legend was as busy as ever. Acclaimed as one of the world’s finest stage performers, Lonnie is also one of the most respected musicians. His contribution and influence in popular music is immeasurable. Such is his versatility that he can star in a jazz tour, a country music tour, or a straight forward ‘Lonnie Donegan in Concert tour.’
Enter Van Morrison
Van went to see Lonnie working at a festival in Newport, Wales. They met, they ate, they now relate! Two years later, at the annual awards ceremony of THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF SONG WRITERS, COMPOSERS & AUTHORS, Van Morrison, very graciously, presented Lonnie with the; - “IVOR NOVELLO AWARD,” for, “OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO BRITISH MUSIC”
“WE’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN.”
I wrote and recorded ‘I’LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN’ with a guitarist J. Currie. It flopped! TOM JONES borrowed my record and recorded it immediately and immediately it soared up the charts worldwide! What has Tom got that I haven’t? While tom was working in Las Vegas the great ELVIS PRESLEY went to hear him, he loved our song and recorded it, beautifully. My deepest thanks and admiration to you both.
