Lonnie Donegan

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Tue, 2002-11-05 17:43

Lonnie Donegan

So another hero bites the dust! He was an innovator and a prime mover in the establishment of popular blues, jazz and pop music. Why everyone cites the crap stuff he did, like 'My Old Man's A Dustman' and 'Does Your Chewing Gum....' is beyond me when he actually made some bloody good records apart from those. His rendition of Woody Guthries 'Grand Coulee Dam' is definitive. Needless to say I have all his recordings and have listened to them regularly over the years. He was very intolerant of bad musicians and became well known in the late fifties and early sixties for scathing remarks about what he saw as rubbish pop stuff. I only saw him live once and that was last year, but I have a ticket for his concert at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend on the 4th of December sitting on my sideboard at this very moment. Somehow I don't think he's gonna show! It was supposed to be his last concert on his last tour as well as he said he was retiring after the current tour.

Thanks for the music Lonnie.

Tue, 2002-11-05 17:48

Andrea

Blimey, hadn't heard! Actually DID see him live once, yonks ago, of course. RIP, Lon.

Tue, 2002-11-05 17:53

Stephen Gardiner

A great man who is owed a lot by the multitude of British rock bands that exploded into the Sixties and while deriving many of their skills and inspiration from him, inadvertantly knocked him right out of the charts and the recording deals. Many of these musicians have long been crediting him for their own success. I guess you could say he has skiffled off this mortal coil.

Tue, 2002-11-05 17:54

Ralph Dartford

George It is sad, he was a fine musician indeed. I did sound engineering for him in the mid nineties a few times (oh yes I have done it all in this biz) and he was a extremly professional. Always had to be paid on the night as well which was so old school but endearing. His Bluegrass playing was exceptional. He was very well rated in the world of music and namechecked by everyone from Keith Richards to Dr John. An unsung hero who never got a fair hearing by the general public to my mind. Shame Ralph

Tue, 2002-11-05 19:06

Sgt. Don Pepper

It appears the Lost in Space star who died is getting more press coverage than Lonnie Donegan. Strange. I can't say I ever became too familiar with his work (jazz was never my cup of tea), but it's always sad to see such a pioneer leave us.

Wed, 2002-11-06 11:07

Tony Cook

I have a confession to make re: Lonnie. He stayed in a house belonging to mates of mine in Mijas Golf in Southern Spain one winter. He was an excellent tenant and they had no complaints. Chrisa and I went off with Paul and Jane to one of their other apartments on the same complex to get a bit of late sun in October and met Lonnie. I told him that 'My Old Man's A Dustman' was one of earliest memories but I also said that I couldn't stand skiffle music as the Stray Cats made me puke. I told him I loved Doo-wop but that skiffle was just fast folk music. I was trying to get a conversation going but he was just pissed off - can't blame him really. I felt bad about it and when I got home went and found some of his old skiffle recordings and thought they were wonderful. What the hell had I been on about? I meant to write and apologise but of course I never did. Now it's too late. Sorry Lonnie and farewell.

Wed, 2002-11-06 11:16

Ralph Dartford

Tony. May your chewing gum lose its flavour on the bedpost overnight. Ralph

Wed, 2002-11-06 11:50

ely whitley

well bloody 'ell. Here sits one who believed it was all just dustmen and bedposts. I saw him as a kind of early Chuckle Brother. It's always sad to learn of someone's greatness after they've died but it's better to have my mind changed now than never. Respect and apologies to Mr. Donegan.

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