Lonnie Donegan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lonnie Donegan
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Lonnie Donegan in the 1970s
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Anthony James Donegan |
| Also known as | The King of Skiffle |
| Born | 29 April 1931 Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | 3 November 2002 (aged 71) Market Deeping, Lincolnshire, England |
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| Instruments | Guitar, vocals, banjo |
| Years active | 1949–2002 |
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| Associated acts | Tony Donegan Jazz Band Chris Barber's Jazz Band Lonnie Donegan's Skiffle Group |
Anthony James Donegan (29 April 1931 – 3 November 2002), known as Lonnie Donegan, was a famous British singer, songwriter, and musician. He was often called the "King of Skiffle" because he made this type of music very popular. Lonnie Donegan had a big influence on British pop and rock musicians in the 1960s, even before the Beatles became famous.
He had many hit songs in the UK, with three reaching number one. He was also the first British male singer to have two top 10 hits in the United States. Lonnie Donegan received a special award for his lifetime achievements in music in 1995. In 2000, he was given an MBE award, which is a high honor in the UK.
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Lonnie Donegan's Life
Lonnie Donegan was born in Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland, on April 29, 1931. His mother was Irish, and his father was a Scottish violinist. When he was two years old, his family moved to East Ham in London, England. During World War II, he was sent to Cheshire to stay safe from the bombings.
Lonnie Donegan had several children. His son, Peter Donegan, also became a singer and musician. Lonnie Donegan passed away on November 3, 2002, at the age of 71. He had a heart attack while on a music tour in England. He had experienced heart problems since the 1970s.
Early Music and Trad Jazz
When Lonnie Donegan was a child in the 1940s, he loved listening to swing jazz and vocal music. He became very interested in playing the guitar. He also enjoyed country, western, and blues records. He bought his first guitar when he was 14 years old in 1945. He learned many songs by listening to the radio. By the late 1940s, he was playing guitar in jazz clubs around London.
Lonnie Donegan joined a major band after Chris Barber heard he was a good banjo player. Donegan had never played the banjo before, but he quickly bought one for the audition! He joined Barber's traditional jazz band. Later, in 1952, he formed his own group called the Tony Donegan Jazzband. They played in London and even opened for a blues musician named Lonnie Johnson. Donegan liked Johnson's name so much that he decided to use "Lonnie" as his own stage name.
In 1953, Donegan made his first commercial recordings with Ken Colyer's Jazzmen. This was an important step in his music career.
The Rise of Skiffle Music
While playing with Chris Barber's band, Lonnie Donegan would sing and play guitar and banjo during breaks. He started playing with two other band members using simple instruments. They called these performances "skiffle" breaks. This name came from an older type of music.
Lonnie Donegan's skiffle group used a washboard, a tea-chest bass (a homemade bass made from a tea chest), and a cheap Spanish guitar. They played folk and blues songs. This simple, energetic style became very popular.
In 1954, he recorded a fast version of a song called "Rock Island Line". This song became a huge hit in 1956 in the UK and even reached the Top Ten in the United States. It was the first debut record in the UK to sell enough copies to be called "gold." "Rock Island Line" inspired many young musicians to start playing music themselves.
The "skiffle" style was special because it used simple, affordable instruments. This meant that almost anyone could start a band, even if they didn't have much money. This new style really captured the attention of young people in England after the war.
After leaving Chris Barber's band, Lonnie Donegan signed with Pye Records. His next song, "Lost John," reached number 2 in the UK. He also appeared on TV shows in the United States. In 1956, he released his first album, Lonnie Donegan Showcase, which sold hundreds of thousands of copies.
Skiffle music encouraged many amateur groups to form. One famous group that started this way was the Quarrymen, formed by John Lennon in 1957. Lonnie Donegan's song "Gamblin' Man"/"Puttin' On the Style" was number one in the UK in July 1957. This was around the time John Lennon first met Paul McCartney.
Lonnie Donegan continued to have many successful songs, like "Cumberland Gap" and "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour (On the Bedpost Overnight?)". His song "My Old Man's a Dustman" reached number one in the UK in 1960. He continued to have hits until 1962, when The Beatles and other "beat music" groups became very popular.
Later Career and Collaborations
Lonnie Donegan recorded music less often in the 1960s. He also worked as a record producer for other artists. During the late 1960s and 1970s, his music style was less popular. He started performing in American clubs.
In 1975, Lonnie Donegan reunited with the original Chris Barber band for a concert. He also worked with famous guitarist Rory Gallagher on several songs, including "Rock Island Line."
In 1976, Lonnie Donegan had his first heart attack. He had surgery to help his heart. He made a comeback in 1978 when he recorded his old songs with many famous musicians. These included Rory Gallagher, Ringo Starr, Elton John, and Brian May. The album was called Putting on the Style.
By 1980, he was performing concerts regularly again. He toured and even appeared in a musical play. In 1992, he had more heart surgery. In 1994, he toured with the Chris Barber band to celebrate their 40th anniversary.
Lonnie Donegan had a renewed period of success around 2000. He appeared on Van Morrison's album The Skiffle Sessions – Live in Belfast 1998, singing with Morrison and Chris Barber. He also performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 1999. As mentioned earlier, he received an MBE award in 2000. His last CD was called This Yere de Story.
Lonnie Donegan's son, Peter Donegan, started touring as his father's pianist when he was 18. In 2019, Peter appeared on the TV show The Voice. He even sang a duet with Tom Jones on a song Lonnie had written for Tom, "I'll Never Fall in Love Again." Lonnie's eldest son, Anthony, also performs music as Lonnie Donegan Jr.
Lonnie Donegan's Legacy
Many famous musicians have said that Lonnie Donegan was a big influence on them. Mark Knopfler released a song called "Donegan's Gone" in his honor. He said Donegan was one of his greatest influences.
Lonnie Donegan's music even inspired a musical play starring his two sons. His son Peter Donegan formed a band to play his father's songs.
Here are some things famous people have said about Lonnie Donegan:
- "He was the first person we had heard of from Britain to get to the coveted No. 1 in the charts, and we studied his records avidly. We all bought guitars to be in a skiffle group. He was the man." – Paul McCartney
- "He really was at the very cornerstone of English blues and rock." – Brian May
- "I wanted to be Elvis Presley when I grew up, I knew that. But the man who really made me feel like I could actually go out and do it was a chap by the name of Lonnie Donegan." – Roger Daltrey
- "Remember, Lonnie Donegan started it for you." – Jack White (from his acceptance speech at the Brit Awards)
Lonnie Donegan's impact on music is clear. He helped inspire a whole generation of musicians in Britain.
Images for kids
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Lonnie Donegan in the 1970s
See also
In Spanish: Lonnie Donegan para niños
