Best known for regional hits recorded with Ernie Young's Nashville-based Excello Records, Lester also contributed to songs recorded by other Excello artists, including Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim, and Katie Webster. Cover versions of his songs have been recorded by (among others) the Kinks, the Flamin' Groovies, Freddy Fender, Dwight Yoakam, Dave Edmunds, Raful Neal, Anson Funderburgh, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. In the comeback stage of his career (since the late 1980s) he has recorded new albums backed by Mike Buck, Sue Foley, Gene Taylor, Kenny Neal, Lucky Peterson, and Jimmie Vaughan.
In the mid-1950s, Lester was on the margins of the Louisiana blues scene. According to Rolling Stone (February 23, 2006), Buddy Guy, before moving to Chicago, had played in Louisiana "with some of the old masters: Lightnin' Hopkins, Lazy Lester, Slim Harpo." When Guy left for Chicago, in 1957, Lester replaced him, on guitar, in a local band—even though Lester, at the time, did not own one.
Lester's career took off when he found a seat next to Lightnin' Slim on a bus transporting Slim to an Excello recording session. At the studio, the scheduled harmonica player did not appear. Slim and Lester spent the afternoon unsuccessfully trying to find him, when Lester volunteered that he could play the harmonica. Lester's work on that first Lightnin' Slim session led the producer, Jay Miller, to record Lester as solo artist and also to use him as a multi-instrumentalist on percussion, guitar, bass, and harmonica in sessions headlined by other artists whose recorings were produced by Miller, including, notably, Slim Harpo. "Percussion" on these sessions went beyond the traditional drum kit and included a rolled-up newspaper striking a cardboard box.
Miller dubbed Lester "Lazy Lester" because of his laconic, laid-back style.
More than his vocal delivery, Lester is best remembered for songs that were later covered by a wide range of rock, country, blues, and Tex-Mex stars, chiefly, "I'm a Lover Not a Fighter," "I Hear You Knockin'," and "Sugar Coated Love."
Lester stated that he wrote these songs, but almost all are credited to Miller or to Lester and Miller. Lester also stated he received few royalties, which embittered him and made him skeptical of the music industry. By the late 1960s, he had given up on the music industry, working manual labor and pursuing his favorite hobby—fishing. Lester moved to Pontiac, Michigan, living with Slim Harpo's sister.
In 1971, Fred Reif set up a Lightnin' Slim concert at the University of Chicago Folk Festival, and Lester was brought up from Louisiana to accompany him. A few weeks after that performance, Lester was back in Louisiana. Years later Reif and Lester were both in Michigan, from where Reif orchestrated a comeback. Lester recorded and played around the United States and abroad, backed by blues bands, including, frequently, Loaded Dice.
Lester's recordings in this period are on blues labels Alligator and Telarc, alongside releases in Europe.
If disenchanted, Lester retained his harmonica, guitar, and vocal talents (the songwriting that had been muse to the Kinks and Dwight Yoakam having dried up long before). In September 2002, he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Boston Blues Society.
In 2003, Martin Scorsese included Lester in his blues tribute concert at Radio City Music Hall, a record of which was released as the film and album Lightning in a Bottle. The group photograph inside the album depicted Lester grinning, dead-center among peers and musical progeny including B.B. King, Solomon Burke, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Buddy Guy, Levon Helm, Chuck D, the Neville Brothers, Dr. John, John Fogerty, and Aerosmith.
In 2012, Lester teamed up with British Blues Woman Dani Wilde to play a special double headline concert as part of Gloucester Rhythm and Blues Festival.
Lester appeared and performed in a television commercial aired nationally for Geico Insurance in 2018.
He appears in the 2015 documentary film I Am the Blues.
Lester lived in Paradise, California, with his girlfriend. He died in August, 2018.
I
Lazy Lester Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And now you're knockin' on my door
I hear you knocking but you can't come in
I hear you knocking, go back where you've been
I begged you not to go, but you said goodbye
And now you tell me all your lies
I hear you knocking, but you can't come in
You better get back to your use to be
'Cause your kind of love ain't good for me
I hear you knocking, but you can't come in
I hear you knocking, go back where you've been
I told you way back in Fifty Two
That I would never go with you
I hear you knocking, but you can't come in
I hear you knocking, go back where you've been
Lazy Lester's song "I Hear You Knocking" is about a former lover who left him long ago, but now wants to come back into his life. Lester is hesitant to let this person back in because he knows their kind of love is not good for him. He remembers telling them back in 52' that he would never go with them, so even though they keep knocking on his door, he remains steadfast in his decision to keep them out.
The lyrics of the song reflect the common theme of relationships and breakups. It's clear that Lester has been hurt by this person in the past and he is not willing to let them back in so easily. He has made his decision and he's sticking to it. The repetition of the phrase "I hear you knocking, but you can't come in" solidifies his determination to not give into their advances. The song has a strong blues influence, with a simple guitar riff and a steady beat that keeps the lyrics moving forward.
Overall, "I Hear You Knocking" is a relatable song that captures the emotions that come with heartbreak and the temptation to let a toxic person back into your life. It's a reminder to stay true to yourself and not give into someone who has already proved to be harmful.
Line by Line Meaning
You went away and left me long time ago
You abandoned me a while back
And now you're knockin' on my door
And now you're attempting to come back into my life
I hear you knocking but you can't come in
I hear your pleas for forgiveness but I won't let you back into my life
I hear you knocking, go back where you've been
Leave my doorstep and go back to where you came from
I begged you not to go, but you said goodbye
I pleaded with you to stay, but you chose to leave me instead
And now you tell me all your lies
And now you're trying to make things right with me by telling me a bunch of untruths
You better get back to your use to be
You should return to your old ways and leave me be
'Cause your kind of love ain't good for me
Your type of affection isn't good for me
I told you way back in Fifty Two
I informed you a long time ago
That I would never go with you
That I would never give in to your advances
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PEARL KING, DAVE BARTHOLOMEW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Edna Robinson
RIP Little Buck.Music will never be the same without the two of you.
OmniphonProductions
I had the honor of meeting him at Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout shortly before he died. One thing I've noticed since joining the harp community is that many of my heroes have turned out to be really nice, totally approachable people. Lester was definitely an example of that!
Craig McCauley
Love the blues!
the Dirty Dirty
RIP Brother. Thanks for the music!
Светлана Догаева
Wonderful!!! ))))
Maurice Huffman
Praying for Lester today.
Esther Gavillet
Thank you! R.I.P. Lil' Buck Sinegal - Shared on Facebook, June 11, 2019
AVIGNON BLUES ROCK FESTIVAL CHATEAURENARD
R.I.P. great artist
homesick clifford
* DOWN HOME LESTER.. YA LOVABLE OL DUDE R.I.P. HE EXPRESSES WHY WE LOVE HIS MUSIC..CUZ HE LOVES MUSIC AND SAY GOD MADE IT WHAT A MAN!!! WISHED I COULDA TALKED A SPELL WITH HIM.
Beqqa Elise
I lovve the harmonica and the piano