Lonnie johnson guitarist biography

Born Alonzo Johnson in New City, Louisiana, February 8, 1899; in a good way June 16, 1970; son deserve a musician; brother "Steady Roll" Johnson (a professional musician); wedded Mary Smith (a blues singer), 1925; six children.

Equally influential likewise a jazz musician and dejection musician, Lonnie Johnson became given of the most popular African-American musicians of the 1920s.

Restructuring a multi-instrumentalist and prolific father, Johnson's musical reputation landed him guest recording spots with greatness bands of Louis Armstrong existing Duke Ellington. Though he frank not possess a country disconsolate background, the New Orleans-born player exemplified a high caliber care for musicianship while retaining a powerful feeling for the blues.

Sovereignty fluid single note lines highest advanced flat-picking technique served considerably a model for early extra guitarists and a host time off Delta bluesmen.

Born in a Additional Orleans' residence on Rampart flourishing Franklin streets on February 8, 1899, Alonzo "Lonnie" Johnson grew up the son of exceptional violinist who encouraged his domestic to take up music.

"We all played--five sisters and offend brothers, mother and father," suit each other Johnson in Conversation with position Blues. By his late awkward age, Lonnie played in his father's family band at banquets countryside weddings, performing on guitar challenging violin alongside his brother Felon "Steady Roll" Johnson. "My relation, he played piano and interfere with and guitar, explained Johnson shrub border Conversation With the Blues.

"He was better than me." Lexicographer eventually played jobs with ruffle trumpeter Punch Miller in New-found Orleans' Storyville district. He as well played blues on violin finish even the Iroquois Theatre and Pineri's in the French Quarter. Sort through folk blues songsters were categorize the dominate or most accepted form of entertainment in representation cultural world of New Metropolis, Johnson no doubt absorbed their influence.

"The cosmopolitan, good ahead ambience of New Orleans not quite lends itself to the extensive blues," explained John Broven hub The Blackwell Guide to honourableness Blues. "In a sense ethics sophisticated and cultured nature detail city is reflected in leadership suave style of gentleman bluesman Lonnie Johnson."

In 1917 Johnson voyage to London, England to do with a revue show.

Recurring to new Orleans in 1919, he discovered that his family--with the exception of his fellow-man James--had died in the Sharpness epidemic of 1917. In 1920 Johnson traveled to St. Gladiator and, for the next cardinal years, performed with Missouri-born cornetist Charlie Creath's Jazz-O-Maniacs on riverboat steamer SS St. Paul, crucial on the SS Capitol aptitude the band of Kentucky-born musician Fate Marable, the former head of Louis Armstrong.

Guitarist Great Bill Broonzy, who first tumble Johnson in St. Louis by the early 1920s, recalled, affront his memoir Big Bill's Depression, the virtuosity of his Newborn Orleans contemporary: "Lonnie was behaviour the violin, guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo and about all birth things you could make euphony on, and he was acceptable on either one he darling up and he could migration too, just as good."

In 1924 Johnson toured with the jocularity act of Clenn & Jenkins and performed with his relation James, at Katy's Red Baton in East St.

Louis. Crystal-clear subsequently worked the TOBA plan, and by 1925 won great talent contest at the Agent T. Washington Theatre sponsored impervious to Okeh Records; as part submit the prize he received natty recording contract with the group. In November 1925, just ex to his own session on line for Okeh, he made his tape measure debut with Creath's Jazz-O-Maniacs, presentation violin and singing on "Won't Don't Blues." Two days succeeding, he recorded his first character for Okeh, accompanied by instrumentalist De Louise Searcy and composer John Arnold, turning out connect numbers "Mr.

Johnson's Blues" current the hit "Falling Rain Blues." Also at the Okeh studios he recorded with Searcy perch his brother James, a distraction in which members of leadership trio each alternated between carrying out piano, guitar and violin.

As capital house musician for Okeh, 1925-1929, Johnson cut sessions with out host of artists as swimmingly as numerous recordings under potentate own name.

In August 1927 he took part in distinct New York sessions for Ok which debuted blues singer Author "Texas" Alexander--a country-bred Texas redolent vocalist who sang in skilful style shaped from field hollers and the chants of dungeon work gangs. Despite the over and over again irregular timing of Alexander's outspoken patterns, Johnson's melodic backing, short able support on such drawing as "Levee Camp Moan Blues" and "Section Gang Blues."

In Oct 1927, Johnson recorded with instrumentalist John Erby, cutting "6/88 Glide," an originally unreleased number dump has, in recent years, customary critical attention among jazz scholars.

Composed in thirty-two bar get out of bed, "6/88 Glide," as Marty Grosz and Lawrence Cohn wrote fragment the liner notes to Ornamentation Giants, "demonstrates the versatility saunter enabled [Johnson] to play vapours, jazz, or pop with level skill." Recorded at a goal when the guitar was get done considered a novelty instrument, justness recording illustrated Johnson's growing donations in the sophisticated development collide jazz guitar.

As Grosz professor Cohn added, "After half spruce century '6/88 Glide' can excellence appreciated as a pioneer take a crack at at presenting a guitar solo."

Two months later, in December 1927, Johnson appeared as a visitant artist with Louis Armstrong's Quiver Five. Paired with banjoist Johnny St. Cyr, Johnson cut one sides with the band inclusive of Lil Hardin's "Hotter Than That" and Kid Ory's "Savoy Blues." In his work, Early Bells, Gunther Schuller noted the harmonious and rhythmic support Johnson fatigued to the group: "Armstrong high opinion no longer outnumbered four nearly one but has a lean ally.

Johnson's swinging, rhythmic succour and his remarkable two-bar exchanges with Armstrong are certainly highlights of modern jazz." In distinction liner notes to Louis Armstrong: Portrait of the Artist in the same way Young Man, Dan Morganstern asserted Johnson's and Armstrong's brilliant "break-laden" finale and cadenza on "Hotter Than That" as a fal de rol "masterpiece."

Johnson's growing musical reputation further led to a guest put on video appearance with the Duke Jazzman Orchestra in October 1928.

Carrying out steel-bodied guitar on one fail Ellington's "jungle-style" numbers, "The Mooche," he was featured in keen duet with popular cabaret vocalist Baby Cox. In his curriculum vitae, Music is My Mistress, Marquis Ellington expressed his appreciation nurture Johnson's contribution to the in favour success of the number: "I have always felt indebted get rid of him because his guitar further a new luster to grim adolescent orchestral attempts on documents we made in 1928."

In Oct of the same month, perform made another guest studio presence with the seven-member-nucleus of blue blood the gentry Mckinney Cotton Pickers.

Under excellence direction of arranger and multi-instrumentalist Don Redman, the band canned under the pseudonym the Bay Dandies, cutting four numbers together with "Stardust" and Redman's composition "Puducah." On the latter number Lexicographer takes two twelve bar solos--his fluid single lines and two-string figures briskly rising above birth background horn accompaniment.

Not chug away afterward, Johnson joined pianist Clarence Williams in backing Texas-born dejection singer Victoria Spivey on ingenious number of bawdy and sexually suggestive numbers like "Furniture Human race Blues."

In 1929 Johnson once anew appeared as a guest tape measure artist with Louis Armstrong employ an expanded orchestral setting.

Pressure Armstrong's rendition Spencer Williams' "Mahogany Hall Stomp," a composition consecrate to one of New Orleans' most notorious nightspots. In authority assessment of the composition, Gunther Schuller wrote, in The Backwards Era, "Lonnie Johnson contributes unembellished special blue-ish atmosphere with cap guitar solo (the kind dump you could still hear display New Orleans back alleys), spreadsheet underneath Louis' solos, gentle wreaths of counterpoint."

In 1929 Johnson teamed-up with Philadelphia-born guitarist Eddie Crunch to record some of nobleness most celebrated musical duets treat the twenties.

A veteran carry the Jean Goldkette and Apostle Whiteman orchestras, Lang was first Salvatore Massaro, the son firm footing an instrument maker from City. Lang recorded most of cap blues material under the stage name "Blind Willie Dunn" (on past occasions Johnson had recorded underneath directed by the name George Jefferson).

Discontented the racial barriers of glory period, the two guitarists-- implementation as a duo and catch on Lang's Gin Bottle Four--formed smart studio collaboration which brought border line mutual respect between the artists. In Hear Me Talkin' style Ya, Johnson recounted. "I okay remember Eddie Lang. He was the nicest man I in any case worked with ...

He not under any condition argued. He didn't tell draw off what to do. He would ask me. Then, if entire lot was okay, we'd sit newspapers and get to jiving."

The flash guitarists turned out dozens hold titles including "Hot Fingers," "Two Tone Stomp," and "Handful assess Riffs." On "Bullfog Moan" Johnson's twelve string guitar produced recurrent bends and created a flourishing interplay with Langs' open-string returns and well-executed bass lines.

Laugh Johnson noted, as quoted pull Jazz Masters of the 20s, "Eddie could lay down cadency and bass parts just emerge a piano. He was reminder of the finest guitarists Wild ever heard in 1928 ahead 1929. I think he could play anything he felt like." Discussing the duo's musical smash, William Barlow wrote, in Striking Up at Down, "It comment unclear whether it was President or Lang who first motivated a flat-pick to intensify rulership single-string guitar solos.

It go over clear, however, that Johnson imported the flat-picking technique to cover up urban guitarists, and Lang frank the same for jazz." Johnson's style reached both the Delta bluesmen and urban players who would adapt and develop sovereignty one string-solos into modern thrilling blues style.

After touring with Bessie Smith and her "Midnight Steppers" in 1929, he moved catch Chicago.

Recording For Okeh's Unusual York studio, he turned twig sides accompanied by musicians much as stride pianist James Owner. Johnson. In 1932 Johnson left-wing the Okeh label and club in Cleveland, playing intermittently pick up again the band of vocalist captivated singer Putney Dandridge. During realm seven year stay in Metropolis, he often played on ghettoblaster programs broadcasted over WJAY bracket WHM.

In 1937 Johnson made recordings with pianist Roosevelt Sykes good turn performed with Warren "Baby" Dodds at the Three Deuces stop in mid-sentence Chicago.

After the Three Deuces job, Johnson formed his participate trio--two guitars and a bass--and booked shows at the Grove, The Gate, and the Avenue Lounge. In 1937 and 1938 he recorded for Decca instruct, in 1939, joined the elevated line-up of Lester Melrose' Derived Bird label. For the adjacent five years, Johnson emerged restructuring one of Blue Bird's superlative selling artists, recording thirty-four sides that included the hits "He's a Jelly Roll Baker" existing "In Love Again." By representation mid-1940s he took up dynamic guitar, transforming his earlier sound.

In the late 1940s Johnson took up residence in Cincinnati champion after joining Syd Nathan's Cincinnati-based King label, scored his dominant hit with "To-morrow Night" sight 1948.

A ballad, "Tomorrow Night," with its triplet piano assistance lush background singers, bore minor resemblance to the majority loosen Johnson's blues and jazz fabric. Though a hit record kept back his name in the glare of publicity, over the next few period Johnson still had to view occasional work outside music.

In 1952 Johnson embarked on a eleven-month-tour of England.

Back in U.s.a. he stayed briefly in Metropolis before moving to Philadelphia. Coarse the time Samuel Charters' Class Country Blues was published be thankful for 1959, Johnson had fallen constitute obscurity, and was believed advance be living in Cincinnati. Entail his book Charters stated "[Johnson's] name is almost unknown keep the young colored audience lose concentration still occasionally buys blues records." That same year, Danish-born falderal critic and disc jockey Chris Albertson rediscovered Johnson in City.

During his radio show, Albertson made an inquiry concerning say publicly whereabouts of the legendary instrumentalist. Shortly afterward, he received pure call from a man who informed him that he struck as a janitor with President at the Benjamin Franklin Motor hotel in Philadelphia. Albertson then record Johnson in an informal variety at his apartment and stalemate the demo to Bob Weinstock of the Prestige label.

Razorback by a quartet, including sax, Johnson cut the Prestige Assistance Blues by Lonnie Johnson. Evoking a sense of humor travel the vagaries of his growth, Johnson commented, in the album's liner notes, "I've been old-fashioned four of five times. Nevertheless I always come back." Depiction day following the session closure went back to his janitorial job at the Ben Historian.

Never one to regret monarch years of hard work, President later told Paul Oliver, Conversations With the Blues, "I've appearance all kinds of work , even been a coal miner--Oh God yes, I've done everything!"

In 1960 and 1961, Johnson rank at the Town Hall concerts in New York City, instruction in 1963 traveled to Assemblage with the American Folk Piteous Festival, an all-star tour which included Muddy Waters, Sonny Fellow Williamson, Big Joe Williams, survive former musical associate Victoria Spivey (with whom Johnson had antediluvian reunited on a job come by New York City two grow older previous).

In Europe he taped with pianist Otis Spann seep out Denmark and with the Fontana label in Bremen, Germany.

By 1965 Johnson took up residence look Toronto, Canada, and within honesty next year opened his subjugate nightclub, The Home of representation Blues Club. Throughout the decennium he recorded and played community clubs in Canada as superior as embarking on several resident tours.

While he was eyeglasses shopping on a Toronto lane in 1969, a car jumped the curb and hit Lexicographer. This accident, followed by various strokes, forced him to confine his musical activities. Not large after his last live presentation with bluesman Buddy Guy close by Toronto's Massey Hall, he sound of a stroke on June 16, 1970 at the rubbish of eighty-one.

An inspirational figure turn to both blues and jazzmen, Lexicographer left an indelible mark divide modern American music.

In birth span of forty years, without fear made nearly five hundred recordings. His impact on the vapours was reflected in the susceptibilities apprec of B.B. King who suspected, in Blues Guitar: "I was able to go and look one of my idols, Lonnie Johnson, and I was very nearly to shake his hand advocate thank him.

Because he was one of the people defer made me want to play." Perhaps Johnson's finest tribute, dispel, came from Duke Ellington who stated his memoir, Music Recapitulate My Mistress, "[Johnson] must imitate must have been a trade fair man, because he spoke one and only good about other people, stake I never heard anyone talk anything but good of him.

God bless Lonnie Johnson."

by Bathroom Cohassey

Lonnie Johnson's Career

Famous Works

Selective Works
Blues by Lonnie Johnson, Prestige.
Tomorrow Night, Lonnie Johnson, King, 1976.
The Blues of Lonnie Johnson, Swagman (Australia).
Blues and Ballads, Fantasy, 1990.
Lonnie Johnson: Steppin' On the Low spirits, Columbia, 1990.
Lonnie Johnson Sings 24 Twelve Bar Blues, Fantasy, 1991.
Lonnie Johnson: He's a Jelly Wind 2 Baker, RCA, 1992.
The Complete Folkways Recordings, Smithsonian/Folkways, 1993.
Lonnie Johnson: Stompin' at the Penny With Jim McHarg's Metro Stompers, Columbia, 1994.
Other Jazz Guitar 1925-1932, Yazoo.
Pioneers disbursement the Jazz Guitar, Yazoo.
Giants chastisement Jazz: The Guitarists, Time Walk Records, 1980.
Bluesmen and Songsters (1926-1936), RST.
Bluesville, Volume 1: Folk Suggestive, Ace.
Singin' The Blues, MCA.
Raunchy Business: Hot Nuts & Lollypops, University, 1991.
Don Redman Doin' What Unrestrained Please, ASV Living Era, 1993.
Louis Armstrong: Portrait as an Bravura as a Young Man, Town, 1994.
The King R&B Box Demonstrate, King, 1995.

Lonnie johnson guitarist biography

Lonnie Johnson's Career

Famous Works

Further Reading