Lonnie Johnson (1894–1970) was a virtuoso guitarist who influenced
generations of musicians from Django Reinhardt to Eric Clapton to Bill
Wyman and especially B. B. King. Born in New Orleans, he began playing
violin and guitar in his father’s band at an early age. When most of his
family was wiped out by the 1918 flu epidemic, he and his surviving
brother moved to St. Louis, where he won a blues contest that included a
recording contract. His career was launched.
Johnson can be
heard on many Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong records, including the
latter’s famous “Savoy Blues” with the Hot Five. He is perhaps best
known for his 12-string guitar solos and his ground-breaking recordings
with the white guitarist Eddie Lang in the late 1920s. After World War
II he began playing rhythm and blues and continued to record and tour
until his death.
This is the first full-length work on Johnson.
Dean Alger answers many biographical mysteries, including how many
members of Johnson’s large family were left after the epidemic. He also
places Johnson and his musical contemporaries in the context of American
race relations and argues for the importance of music in the fight for
civil rights. Finally, Alger analyzes Johnson’s major recordings in
terms of technique and style.
This file is intended only for preview!
I ask you to delete the file from your hard drive after reading it.
thank for the original uploader
No comments:
Post a Comment