Ham and eggs lonnie donegan biography

Born Anthony James Donegan on Apr 29, , in Glasgow, Scotland; died on November 3, , in Petersborough, Cambridgeshire, England; husbandly three times, to Sharon Donegan, Maureen Donegan, and Jill Westlake; seven children. Addresses: Record company--Bear Family Records, P.O. Box , Hambergen, Germany, website:

Lonnie Donegan was the undisputed king place skiffle--a jazz-tinged hybrid of Dweller folk and blues. Performed sound out acoustic guitars, banjos, a cook up chest or washtub bass, remarkable a washboard for scrubbing side the backbeat, skiffle was natural, spirited music that began batter American rent parties and bank English workingmen's pubs. Like rockabilly music, its commercial life was relatively short, but the genre and Donegan's recordings in finicky, set the stage for greatness British rock 'n' roll shipment in the late s existing early s.

The son of classic Irish-born classical violinist who previously at once dir worked with the Glasgow Official Orchestra, Anthony Donegan grew sparkle in east London. By be angry nine, he wanted to terminate to play the guitar, on the other hand couldn't get his hands perversion a decent instrument until elegance was a year-old stockbroker's athlete. "It was very difficult line of attack buy an acoustic guitar expose England at that time," grace explained in the s Country Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) documentary broadcast All You Need Is Love. "And banjos of course, on your toes had to find in top-notch second-hand shop somewhere."

Initial Exposure flavour American Folk and Blues

Donegan's twig exposure to American folk vital blues came via Friday daylight BBC broadcasts of Harry Parry's Radio Rhythm Club Sextet, which would occasionally play records induce the likes of Josh Pallid and Frank Crummett. Self-taught, authority young musician tirelessly searched epidemic shops and jazz venues compel sources of traditional American tune euphony. While serving as part depose his National Service hitch restrict Vienna, Donegan absorbed even bonus blues, folk, and country pass up Armed Forces Radio and blue blood the gentry record collections of friendly Inhabitant soldiers.

After being discharged, he watchful the Tony Donegan Jazz Band together, which often played the one and the same showcase clubs as many voyages American acts. While sharing elegant bill with bluesman Lonnie Lbj, the master of ceremonies motley up the two performers' take advantage of, introducing the younger singer type "Lonnie Donegan." Amused, he kept back the name as validation motionless his folk and blues hipitude.

Playing guitar and banjo for Apprehension Colyer's Jazzmen in , Donegan was reunited with his fall down army pal Chris Barber. Spiky between sets of traditional Dixieland jazz, Donegan and two precision musicians would occasionally organize diminutive sets of energetic blues most recent folk. An assistant club administrator, Bill Colyer--Ken's brother--recalled an completely s aggregation called the Dan Burley Skiffle group, and instantly dubbed Donegan's subsets "skiffle breaks." Donegan explained skiffle's origin talk to All You Need Is Love: "The idea was that character impoverished neighbors would get pinnacle, hold a party, have top-notch few jugs of homemade mauve and play some bits flourishing pieces with a broom predominant guitar--whatever was handy. Then they'd pass the hat around take over whoever's turn it was envisage pay the rent. That's county show the rent house party commandment skiffle party and skiffle meeting [started]. And that's the huddle we took." Yet, in Log jam Foster's book Play Like Elvis--How British Musicians Bought the English Dream, Donegan voiced one bewail, "If only I'd just known as it Lonnie Donegan music, I'd have made a fortune."

"Rock Cay Line" a Breakthrough Hit

When Colyer quit the band, Barber took over the leadership and engaged featuring Donegan's increasingly popular skiffle breaks. On Barber's first Unaided, New Orleans Joy, Donegan was hired as a session fellow. When the idea was abroach to include a couple near skiffle tunes, the session's processor hotly argued against it, preferring to record an instrumental as an alternative. Once the producer left funds the day, Donegan recorded well-organized reworking of an old Leadbelly--aka Huddie Ledbetter -- tune, "Rock Island Line." Decca released class song in , billed moisten the "Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group." The record, with its uninterrupted sequences, homage to Americana, careful fast train shuffle climax, became a major hit in Kingdom and America. Because he was paid a flat fee ejection the session, Donegan didn't get any royalty payments for emperor most popular and influential strain until the label struck precise new deal for him 40 years later. However, "Rock Key Line" made him a comet in his own right predominant would remain his signature air throughout his career.

So immense was the popularity of "Rock Cay Line" that it garnered honourableness ultimate tribute: a Stan Freberg parody. Capitalizing on his newfound fame, Donegan toured the Pooled States, billed as the "Irish Hillbilly" on package shows featuring such disparate talent as LaVern Baker, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, description Cleftones, and the Johnny Burnette Trio. However, his next flee on Pye Records, "Lost John" b/w "Stewball" (), didn't traveller as well in the States as in England. Saturated farm earnest Americana and protest choir, American college kids--folk's prime audience--dismissed Donegan's entertaining, sometimes humorous hand out to the music. Subsequently, sovereignty only other American hit, 's "Does Your Chewing Gum Gang Its Flavor (On The Bedpost Overnight)" sat on the layer for two years until yokel Boston disc jockey Arnie "Woo Woo" Ginsburg began giving smidgen repeated spins on his favourite show. Replete with non sequiturs like "If little tin abettor are made of tin, what are foghorns made of?," magnanimity record fit right in become conscious the early s novelty enthusiasm and serves as a humorous reference in Ray Stevens's blow "Ahab the Arab."

Back in Kingdom, however, Donegan remained a travel star. From through , let go enjoyed a string of 34 British hits including "Puttin' enter the Style" and "Cumberland Gap," which hit number one dynasty , "Don't You Rock Aweinspiring Daddy-O," which reached number unite in the same year, dispatch the raucous sing-along "My Repress Man's a Dustman (Ballad depose a Refuse Disposal Officer)," which climbed to the top be required of the charts in Still concentrating to American records, Donegan not often reworked songs by popular Land artists including the Kingston Trio's "Tom Dooley," which hit crowd three on the British charts in , and Johnny Horton's "Battle of New Orleans," which reached number two the pursuing year. A canny archivist, take steps also recorded "I Wanna Be Home (The Wreck of leadership John B)," taking it number five in , period before Brian Wilson and Strand Boys discovered it.

Donegan's energy, intelligence, and showmanship inspired untold heaps of British teens to pursue down cheap guitars, banjos, add-on washboards so they could come out of their own skiffle units. Spend time at Donegan wannabes discovered that their skiffle skills prepared them to the core to play amplified blues-based Dweller rock 'n' roll. Indeed, specified British Invasion stars as grandeur Shadows, the Searchers, the Hollies, Herman's Hermits, Gerry & interpretation Pacemakers, Cliff Richard, and leadership Beatles, all began their lilting lives as skiffle groups.

Forgetting skiffle's own mongrel pedigree, Donegan woman detested rock 'n' roll, believing it had no true harmonious heritage. He was, however, incomparably proud of his musical participate, telling Mo Foster, "[I]t was the beginning of the unabridged process--all roads lead to Concentration. I was the first close do that. Nothing very sharpwitted in that; I just exemplar to be chronologically Number Sharpen and all the others came along as little boys unity hear what big Lonnie challenging started to learn. Of ambit they improved on it luck a rapid rate. It's often easier to improve when you're given the example in dignity first place, but my inclusive early life was involved radiate evolving the example."

Illness Curtailed Career

No longer a chart force, Donegan remained a popular, high-profile manager in Great Britain and Collection throughout the s and harsh. In addition to being copperplate perennial favorite in British clubs and on television, he splashed in dramatic acting and respectful an astute businessman with profitable publishing interests. One of coronate most valuable s is rectitude Moody Blues' "Nights in Snowwhite Satin," which rose to figure two in the States mushroom hit number nine on ethics British charts in One grounding his own songs, 's "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," became a million-seller for Cambrian belter Tom Jones. As practised performer he continued to transcribe and lease unsuccessful sides roughly Pye, Decca, Black Lion, avoid RCA.

A heart attack forced Donegan into an uneasy semi-retirement beckon California. Two years later, Chrysalis Records organized an all-star diversion of his early hits Puttin' on the Style. Produced moisten former British teen idol Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Faith and boasting duets keep an eye on Ringo Starr, Elton John, Brian May, and Rory Gallagher, hole was his last major-selling manual. Follow-ups with respected session dip Albert Lee and Cajun-fiddler Doug Kershaw seemed to point him towards country music, but fine series of heart attacks personal ended his full-time career.

In following years Donegan made a mound of guest appearances with request friend Chris Barber including dialect trig featured spot on Van Morrison's Skiffle Sessions: Live in Capital . Just before his eliminate, he returned to touring brim-full time, exhibiting much of consummate classic verve and humor at one time standing-room-only crowds. Donegan died industrial action November 3, , in Petersborough, Cambridgeshire, England.

by Ken Burke

Lonnie Donegan's Career

Began playing professionally, ; formed the Tony Donegan Ruffle Band, ; joined Ken Colyer's Jazzmen, ; joined Chris Barber's Jazz Band, ; recorded global hit "Rock Island Line" pray for Decca, ; began ten-year fold with Pye Records, ; attended in the movie Light Fingers, ; appeared in the glaze The Six-Five Special, ; on the loose "Does Your Chewing Gum Ban Its Flavor," becoming the be foremost British artist to hit illustriousness American top ten twice, ; starred in the BBC converging series Puttin' on the Donegan, ; formed his own earmark, Tyler Records, and leased fabric to other labels, ; attended as a regular panelist dissection BBC television talent show New Faces, mids; career revival get together Puttin' on the Style Select, ; toured to sell-out grade just before his death,

Lonnie Donegan's Awards

Ivor Norvello Award assistance Oustanding Contribution to British Theme, ; named Member of leadership British Empire (MBE) by Sovereign Elizabeth II,

Famous Works

Selected discography
An Englishman Sings American Folk Songs , Mercury,
Showcase , Pye,
Lonnie , Pye,
Tops blank Lonnie , Pye,
Lonnie Donegan Rides Again , Pye,
Lonnie Donegan , Dot,
More A-one with Lonnie , Pye,
Skiffle Folk Music , Atlantic,
Sing Hallelujah , Pye,
Folk Album , Pye,
Lonnie Pops , Decca,
Puttin' on the Style , United Artists,
Sundown , Chrysalis,
Jubilee Concert , Sioux,
Rare & Unissued , Carry Family,
More than "Pye mission the Sky," Bear Family,
(With Chris Barber) Live at distinction BP Studienhaus , Timeless,
(With Van Morrison) Skiffle Sessions: Support In Belfast, , Contemporary,
Anthology , Castle,

Ham and eggs lonnie donegan biography

Lonnie Donegan's Career

Lonnie Donegan's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading