It was country & western and blues records, especially those by Frank Crumit and Josh White, that really attracted Donegan's interests. He got something more valuable from it than money, however, for "Rock Island Line" was credited to "The Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group." Carter's "Wabash Cannonball." 2, Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavour (On The Bedpost Overnight) b/w With three Number 1s (Cumberland Gap, Gamblin Man/ Putting On The Style, My Old Mans A Dustman) as well as having hits that peaked at every position in the Top 10. Donegan received no encouragement to play an instrument or choose music as a profession, for his father, like many talented musicians during the economic slump of the '30s, was continually out of work. WebMore Than "Pye in the Sky" Review. http://www.p.griggsy.btinternet.co.uk/Untitled/Lonnie.html, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Having replaced Bishop in 1956, Wright is playing most of the lead guitar on those tracks, on the accompanying single sides, and on a pair of previously unissued tracks: the Pye re-recording of "Rock Island Line" and the slow blues "I've Got Rocks in My Bed," where he gets to play some Scrapper Blackwell-style licks. Among the many tens of thousands of British teens he inspired were members of the Beatles, Gerry & the Pacemakers, and the Searchers. WebListen to Lonnie Donegan in unlimited on Qobuz and buy the albums in Hi-Res 24-Bit for an unequalled sound quality. You can search for tracks and LP's by title. Nobody Loves Like An Irishman Mickey Ashman - Bass 1956 Decca gave up on Donegan soon after, believing that skiffle was a flash-in-the-pan fad. The three laid down four or five songs while the producer was away, and one of the songs chosen from among those five for the album was "Rock Island Line." In the late '90s, his musical credibility came around again to perhaps the highest level of respect of his life, with several multi-disc hits and career-wide compilations available. Brian Simons - Washboard 1958 The record was a hit, racking up sales in the hundreds of thousands. The name stuck. 28, 1957) Lazy John. Donegan passed away November 3, 2002, following heart problems. His next single for Decca, "Diggin' My Potatoes," cut at an October 30, 1954 concert at London's Royal Festival Hall, was banned by the BBC for its suggestive lyrics -- this hurt sales but also gave Donegan a slight veneer of daring and rebelliousness that didn't hurt his credibility with the kids. Donegan's attempt at a recording comeback late in the '60s was unsuccessful, but in 1974, a new boomlet for skiffle music in Germany brought him on tour and into the studio anew, and the following year he and Chris Barber toured together and recorded a new long-player, The Great Re-Union Album. The Chris Barber Jazz Band had not played before 60,000 people in their whole history, and a phenomenon was obviously afoot. Sequel Records has decided to honor Lonnie Donegan with its Lonnie 2000 series, reissuing all of his classic Pye/Nixa sides from 1955 through 1962, and ShowcasePlus is the place to begin. / Jimmy Brown The Newsboy, My Old Man's a Dustman / The Golden Vanity, I'll Never Fall in Love Again / Keep on the Sunny Side, Pick a Bale of Cotton / Steal Away [with The Kestrels], 20th Anniversary Collection: The Greatest Novelty Records of All-Time. It was through BBC broadcasts around 1946 that Donegan first started learning to play songs like "Frankie and Johnny," "Putting on the Style," and "House of the Rising Sun." Ron Bowden - Drums, Denny Wright - Guitars 1956 The three laid down four or five songs while the producer was away, and one of the songs chosen from among those five for the album was "Rock Island Line." [1] Donegan received an Ivor Novello lifetime achievement award in 1995[4] and in 2000 he was made an MBE. It was exceptionally popular among England's teenagers, who accounted for most of its sales. The Ken Colyer Jazzmen, as they were called, specialized in Dixieland jazz, and built a formidable reputation, their shows popular in every club they played. Wabash Cannonball Dick Bishop - Guitars, Vocals WebIt was over half a century ago in 1958, as Lonnie Donegan was ruling the charts with Rock Island Line, that Joe joined his first band, the Spacemen Skiffle Group, at the age of 17. Pete Appleby - Drums 1961, BACK TO THE HILLMAN MAIN PAGE There's also one fine Chris Barber/Lonnie Donegan original, "Harmonica Blues," dating from 1955 and never before issued. He got something more valuable from it than money, however, for "Rock Island Line" was credited to "The Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group." His bluff didn't work but the mix of personalities did, and he was in Barber's first band. It seemed to fit, and it caught on; the Ken Colyer Jazzmen became almost as popular for Donegan's between-set skiffle songs as they were for their Dixieland music. He began playing guitar around London, and going to the small jazz clubs springing up around the city. He'd left the Barber band by then -- though Barber continued to play on his records into the middle of the following year -- enticed into a solo career by offers of huge amounts of money to embark on a solo performing career. He continued to appear regularly in the UK charts until 1962, before succumbing to the arrival of The Beatles and beat music. The UK King of Skiffle, Lonnie Donegan was born Anthony James Donegan MBE (April 29 1931 November 3 2002) in Bridgeton, Glasgow, before joing Chris Barbers Big Jazz Band. Qobuz is also the leader in worldwide download in Hi-Res 24-Bit. Nov 20/21, 1998 Whitla Hall, Belfast (The Skiffle Sessions with Van Morrison, Chris Barber, et al), I Know Where I'm Going unissued LD9 C C Rider (Going Down The Road) " LD9, She Was Big, She Was Blonde, She Was Beautiful " LD9. Donegan received no encouragement to play an instrument or choose music as a profession, for his father, like many talented musicians during the economic slump of the '30s, was continually out of work. In concert, the group's sound was fuller still, with Donegan and Wright sharing guitar chores with bearded, bespectacled Dick Bishop, who had played on Donegan's earliest records. While Donegan was racking up hits -- "Bring a Little Water, Sylvie" (number seven), "Don't You Rock Me, Daddy-O" (number four), "Cumberland Gap (number six), and "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor On the Bedpost Overnight?" WebLonnie Donegan was born on 29 April 1931 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. As "Rock Island Line" took the country by storm, Decca suddenly had one of the bigger -- and most wholly unexpected -- hits in its history up to that time. Aint No More Cane On The Brazos. Donegan and his band essentially played live in the studio (there was virtually no overdubbing in those days), but the best record of their sound comes from a concert recorded at London's Conway Hall on January 25, 1957, which was later released by Pye. The three laid down four or five songs while the producer was away, and one of the songs chosen from among those five for the album was "Rock Island Line." Golden Hour [UK] GH 514 Lonnie Donegan's' Golden Hour Of Golden Hits: Rock Island Line; Jack ODiamonds; Tom Dooley; Puttin On The Style; Im Alabammy Bound; Ace In The Hole unissued LD9. Long Summer Day. Another compelling glimpse of the group can be found in the British jukebox movie The Six-Five Special (1957), based on the popular television series of the period, in which Donegan rips through a killer live rendition of "Jack 'O Diamonds," as well as a fine cover of Woody Guthrie's "The Grand Coulee Dam." Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O, Lonnie Donegan Showcase (Aug. 22/23, 1956) The record was a hit, racking up sales in the hundreds of thousands. Putting On The Style. Connect your Spotify account to your Last.fm account and scrobble everything you listen to, from any Spotify app on any device or platform. 1956 "Jazz Club"(? Suddenly, his manager was getting offers of $1500 a week for concert appearances in cities from Cleveland to New York -- that in a day when $800 was a year's wage in England to people of Donegan's generation. But in 1954, before anyone (especially anybody in England) knew what rock & roll was, Donegan was cool, and his music was hot. Anthony James Donegan was born in Glasgow, Scotland on April 29, 1931, the son of a classical violinist who had played with the Scottish National Orchestra. Grand Coulee Dam His stint in this group was interrupted, however, when he was called up for National Service in 1949. Encouraged by the initial sales of New Orleans Joy, the company decided to push its luck by lifting individual songs off the album as singles. It was catchy, earthy, even bluesy (after a fashion) American music played in a way that the British kids could master without an enormous amount of trouble -- a guitar or two, and maybe a banjo, an upright bass (or even one made from a washtub or tea chest, a broom handle, and a piece of rope), and a washboard-and-thimble for percussion. www.hillmanweb.com/book/gigs, Rock Island Line b/w John Henry (with The Chris Barber Jazz Band), Midnight Special b/w New Burying Ground (with The Chris Barber Jazz Band), Diggin' My Potatoes b/w I Don't Care Where They Bury My Body, Bring A Little Water, Sylvie b/w Dead Or Alive, Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O b/w I'm Alabammy Bound, On A Christmas Day b/w Take My Hand Precious Lord, My Dixie Darling b/w I'm Just A Rolling Stone, The Grand Coolie Dam b/w Nobody Loves Like An Irishman, Sally Don't You Grieve b/w Betty Betty Betty, Lonesome Traveller b/w Times Are Getting Hard Boys, Lonnie's Skiffle Pt. In 1978, however, he was back in the studio, recording the album that was his first chart entry in 15 years, Putting on the Style, an all-star skiffle-style album that teamed Donegan with Ringo Starr, Elton John, Brian May, Peter Banks, and other stars and superstars of rock who owed their entry into music to "Rock Island Line." WebListen to Lonnie Donegan in unlimited on Qobuz and buy the albums in Hi-Res 24-Bit for an unequalled sound quality. After his return, he formed a band of his own, which initially consisted of jazz guitarist Denny Wright, Micky Ashman on bass, and Nick Nichols on drums. Still later, Jimmy Currie, a veteran of Tony Crombie's Rockets (the first home-grown rock & roll band in England, patterned loosely after Bill Haley's Comets) became Donegan's lead guitarist in what is regarded as his strongest band. (Strangely enough, a live film clip of Donegan and Wright doing that song exists, in the movie The Six-Five Special). WebLonnie made his chart debut in January 1956 with Rock Island Line. Lonnie Donegans Golden Hour Of Golden Hits, Lonnie Donegans Golden Hour Of Golden Hits Vol. Press control & F buttons together, put in song title or part of, then find. His taste in jazz went toward Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa. I'm Alabammy Bound He returned to the chart 38 years after his last appearance, guesting with Van Morrison on his I Wanna Go Home single in 2000. It seemed to fit, and it caught on; the Ken Colyer Jazzmen became almost as popular for Donegan's between-set skiffle songs as they were for their Dixieland music. Donegan mostly listened to swing and vocal acts such as Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, the Ink Spots, and the Andrews Sisters during the early '40s, although he also heard some Indian music on the BBC, and African songs as transliterated for movies. Donegan mostly listened to swing and vocal acts such as Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, the Ink Spots, and the Andrews Sisters during the early '40s, although he also heard some Indian music on the BBC, and African songs as transliterated for movies. Heart surgery in 1992 slowed Donegan down again, but by the end of the year he was touring once again with Chris Barber. Frankie and Johnny, Lonnie Donegan Hit Parade -- Vol. LONNIE DONEGAN DISCOGRAPHY compiled by Dave Moore, Cake Walkin Babies (instrum.) It was country & western and blues records, especially those by Frank Crumit and Josh White, that really attracted Donegan's interests. In the late '90s, his musical credibility came around again to perhaps the highest level of respect of his life, with several multi-disc hits and career-wide compilations available. In 1976, however, after another series of shows and recordings in Germany, Donegan suffered a heart attack that left him sidelined, and he moved to California to recuperate. by Bruce Eder. WebExplore releases from Lonnie Donegan at Discogs. By 1980, he was making regular concert appearances again, and a new album with Barber followed. The word, according to Donegan, was suggested by Ken Colyer's brother Bill, who remembered an outfit called the Dan Burley Skiffle Group, based in Chicago in the '40s. Donegan passed away November 3, 2002, following heart problems. Which upcoming albums are you most excited for? Donegan proved to be a popular performer in America, playing on bills with Chuck Berry, among others. Chris Barber - Bass, Vocals Carter's "Wabash Cannonball." Before the smoke cleared, "Rock Island Line" also managed to reach the Top 20 in America, a major feat for a British artist at that time. Donegan and his band eventually hooked back up with his old friend Chris Barber, who'd kept his band going throughout the previous two years, and eventually Barber and Donegan linked up with fellow jazzman Ken Colyer, into a kind of supergroup led by Colyer. In 1983 Donegan toured England with Billy Joe Spears, and in 1984, he made his theatrical debut in a revival of the 1920 musical Mr. Cinders. In 1949, he was drafted into the British Army. He also gained access to more American records than ever before, courtesy of the U.S. soldiers serving in the city. What's more, his music, like that of Presley and Haley, was vital to the early musical careers and future histories of the Beatles, the Stones, and hundreds of other groups. He formed his own group, the Tony Donegan Jazz Band, in 1952. They were successful enough that the National Jazz Federation asked the band to play a show at Festival Hall with American ragtime pianist Ralph Sutton and blues/jazz legend Lonnie Johnson. What's more, his music, like that of Presley and Haley, was vital to the early musical careers and future histories of the Beatles, the Stones, and hundreds of other groups. He was an actor and composer, known for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), Pawn Shop Chronicles (2013) WebInformation on Lonnie Donegan. [1][2][3] Born in Scotland and brought up in England, Donegan began his career in the British trad jazz revival but transitioned to skiffle in the mid-1950s, rising to prominence with a hit recording of the American folk song "Rock Island Line" which helped spur the broader UK skiffle movement. His bluff didn't work but the mix of personalities did, and he was in Barber's first band. More concert tours followed, along with a move from Florida to Spain. By mid-1958, however, skiffle was waning rapidly as a commercial sound, but Donegan continued to appear on the charts right into 1962. I Want To Go Home (1) (Feb 1960) It was during these shows, between sets by the full band, that Donegan would come on-stage with two other players and perform his own version of American blues, country, and folk standards, punched up with his own rhythms and accents, on acoustic guitar or banjo, backed by upright bass and drums. Donegan's group had a flexible line-up, but was generally formed by Denny Wright or Les Bennetts (of Les Hobeaux and Chas McDevitt's skiffle groups) playing lead guitar and singing harmony vocals, Micky Ashman or Pete Huggett - later Steve Jones - on upright bass, Nick Nichols - later Pete Appleby and Mark Goodwin - on drums or percussion and Donegan playing acoustic guitar or banjo and singing the lead. Donegan mostly listened to swing and vocal acts such as Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, the Ink Spots, and the Andrews Sisters during the early '40s, although he also heard some Indian music on the BBC, and African songs as transliterated for movies. I'm Alabamy Bound Donegan's attempt at a recording comeback late in the '60s was unsuccessful, but in 1974, a new boomlet for skiffle music in Germany brought him on tour and into the studio anew, and the following year he and Chris Barber toured together and recorded a new long-player, The Great Re-Union Album. His next single for Decca, "Diggin' My Potatoes", was recorded at a concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 30 October 1954. NOTE: He also wrote the song and first released it in 1959, to no success. Talking Guitar Blues: The Very Best Of Rock Island Line - The Singles Anthology 1955-1967, Looney Tunes: 24 Greatest Stars, 24 Greatest Tunes, Anthems in Eden: An Anthology of British & Irish Folk 1955-1978, Young Persons Guide to Music: Songs You Should Hear, Robert Palmer: Deep Blues a list of mentioned musicians and songs, Number TWO across the nation - UK singles - The 50's (So Close and So Frustrating), The Best of Rock: The Essential CD Guide, by Alan Clayson, There were Mammoths when The pyramids were built moments in music, Bands from Europe that sound like they're from Mississippi. The popular skiffle style encouraged amateurs to get started, and one of the many skiffle groups that followed was The Quarrymen formed in March 1957 by John Lennon. The word, according to Donegan, was suggested by Ken Colyer's brother Bill, who remembered an outfit called the Dan Burley Skiffle Group, based in Chicago in the '40s. Among those he worked with during this period was future Moody Blues guitarist-singer Justin Hayward. They found the record's rhythm to be infectious and its sound alluring in a way that no record by anyone from England ever had before. His ethnic mix was Scottish/Irish. Three years later he was the resident lead guitarist on producer Jack Goods groundbreaking TV show Boy Meets Girls. Shop for Vinyl, CDs and more from Lonnie Donegan at the Discogs Marketplace. The LP was a hit, securing sales in the hundreds of thousands. Donegan proved to be a popular performer in America, playing on bills with Chuck Berry, among others. He was successful enough, however, to be brought over to America to appear on the Perry Como Show, followed by an appearance on the Paul Winchell Show. Donegan and his band essentially played live in the studio (there was virtually no overdubbing in those days), but the best record of their sound comes from a concert recorded at London's Conway Hall on January 25, 1957, which was later released by Pye. It was country & western and blues records, especially those by Frank Crumit and Josh White, that really attracted Donegan's interests. Listen to Lonnie Donegan in unlimited on Qobuz and buy the albums in Hi-Res 24-Bit for an unequalled sound quality. (number three and number five in the U.S.) all in less than three years -- thousands of skiffle groups were springing up all over England. WebLONNIE DONEGAN DISCOGRAPHY compiled by Dave Moore c.1951 Tony Donegan Jazz Band. They were successful enough that the National Jazz Federation asked the band to play a show at Festival Hall with American ragtime pianist Ralph Sutton and blues/jazz legend Lonnie Johnson. And he did it in 1954, before Elvis was known anywhere outside of Memphis and before Bill Haley was perceived as anything but a Western swing novelty act. Jim Currie - Guitars, Vocals 1957 He formed his own group, the Tony Donegan Jazz Band, in 1952. Genres: Skiffle. Complete discography, ratings, reviews and more. Additionally, Donegan was extremely charismatic as a performer, and not just within the context of his time -- he would have found some kind of audience at almost any point in the 1950s in England. He's relatively little remembered outside of England, but Donegan shares an important professional attribute with Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Sex Pistols -- he invented a style of music, skiffle, that completely altered the pop culture landscape and the youth around him, and for a time, completely ruled popular music through that new form. He formed his own group, the Tony Donegan Jazz Band, in 1952. Dead or Alive, SESSION: August 22/23, 1956 Donegan was only paid a few pounds for the recording, and received no royalties. http://lonniedonegan.webs.com/pagelinkindex.htm,