Alfonzo "Lonnie" Johnson (February 8, 1894 – June 6, 1970) was a pioneering… Read Full Bio ↴Alfonzo "Lonnie" Johnson (February 8, 1894 – June 6, 1970) was a pioneering blues and jazz singer/guitarist born in New Orleans, Louisiana. There is some dispute over the year of his birth, but 1894 is what appears on his passport.
Lonnie Johnson's early recordings are the first guitar recordings that display a single-note soloing style with use of string bending and vibrato. While it cannot be proven that this contains the influence of earlier players who did not record, it is the origin of Blues and Rock solo guitar. Johnson's influence is obvious in Django Reinhardt, T-Bone Walker and virtually all electric blues guitar players.
[citation needed] Raised in a family of musicians, Johnson studied violin and guitar as a child, but concentrated on the latter throughout his professional career. A 1917 tour to England with a revue may have saved his life, for he returned to New Orleans in 1919 to find that most of his family had died in the 1918 influenza epidemic.
In the early 1920s, Johnson worked with the orchestras of Charlie Creath and Fate Marable on riverboats, but he made St. Louis his home in 1925. There he entered and won an Okeh Records blues contest that resulted in his making a series of memorable recordings for the label between 1925 and 1932, including guitar duets with Eddie Lang and vocal duets with Victoria Spivey. In the 1920s, Johnson also made guest appearances on records by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five, the Duke Ellington orchestra, and The Chocolate Dandies, playing 12-string guitar solos in an extraordinary, pioneering single-string style that greatly influenced such future jazz guitarists as Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt, and gave the instrument new meaning as a jazz voice.
Lonnie Johnson's career was a rollercoaster ride that sometimes took him away from music. In between great musical accomplishments, he found it necessary to take menial jobs that ranged from working in a steel foundry to mopping floors as a janitor. He was working at Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Hotel in 1959 when WHAT-FM disc jockey Chris Albertson happened upon him. Albertson succeeded in securing for Johnson a Chicago engagement at the Playboy Club, which launched yet another comeback. Johnson subsequently performed with Duke Ellington and his orchestra and with an all-star folk concert, both at Town Hall, New York City.
He also toured Europe and recorded several albums for the Prestige Bluesville label, some with Elmer Snowden, and one with his Okeh vocal partner, Victoria Spivey. To his great regret, Johnson was always tagged as a blues artist, and he found it difficult to be regarded as anything else. "I had done some singing by then," he explained when asked why he entered the Okeh contest, "but I still didn't take it as seriously as my guitar playing, and I guess I would have done anything to get recorded--it just happened to be a blues contest, so I sang the blues."
Johnson died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 16, 1970 of complications resulting from a 1969 auto accident. He was posthumously inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame in 1997.
One of Elvis Presley's earliest recordings was Johnson's blues ballad, "Tomorrow Night", which was also recorded by LaVern Baker
Bob Dylan wrote about the performing method he learned from Johnson in Chronicles, Vol. 1. Dylan thinks Robert Johnson had learned a lot from Lonnie.
Lonnie Johnson's early recordings are the first guitar recordings that display a single-note soloing style with use of string bending and vibrato. While it cannot be proven that this contains the influence of earlier players who did not record, it is the origin of Blues and Rock solo guitar. Johnson's influence is obvious in Django Reinhardt, T-Bone Walker and virtually all electric blues guitar players.
[citation needed] Raised in a family of musicians, Johnson studied violin and guitar as a child, but concentrated on the latter throughout his professional career. A 1917 tour to England with a revue may have saved his life, for he returned to New Orleans in 1919 to find that most of his family had died in the 1918 influenza epidemic.
In the early 1920s, Johnson worked with the orchestras of Charlie Creath and Fate Marable on riverboats, but he made St. Louis his home in 1925. There he entered and won an Okeh Records blues contest that resulted in his making a series of memorable recordings for the label between 1925 and 1932, including guitar duets with Eddie Lang and vocal duets with Victoria Spivey. In the 1920s, Johnson also made guest appearances on records by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five, the Duke Ellington orchestra, and The Chocolate Dandies, playing 12-string guitar solos in an extraordinary, pioneering single-string style that greatly influenced such future jazz guitarists as Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt, and gave the instrument new meaning as a jazz voice.
Lonnie Johnson's career was a rollercoaster ride that sometimes took him away from music. In between great musical accomplishments, he found it necessary to take menial jobs that ranged from working in a steel foundry to mopping floors as a janitor. He was working at Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Hotel in 1959 when WHAT-FM disc jockey Chris Albertson happened upon him. Albertson succeeded in securing for Johnson a Chicago engagement at the Playboy Club, which launched yet another comeback. Johnson subsequently performed with Duke Ellington and his orchestra and with an all-star folk concert, both at Town Hall, New York City.
He also toured Europe and recorded several albums for the Prestige Bluesville label, some with Elmer Snowden, and one with his Okeh vocal partner, Victoria Spivey. To his great regret, Johnson was always tagged as a blues artist, and he found it difficult to be regarded as anything else. "I had done some singing by then," he explained when asked why he entered the Okeh contest, "but I still didn't take it as seriously as my guitar playing, and I guess I would have done anything to get recorded--it just happened to be a blues contest, so I sang the blues."
Johnson died in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 16, 1970 of complications resulting from a 1969 auto accident. He was posthumously inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame in 1997.
One of Elvis Presley's earliest recordings was Johnson's blues ballad, "Tomorrow Night", which was also recorded by LaVern Baker
Bob Dylan wrote about the performing method he learned from Johnson in Chronicles, Vol. 1. Dylan thinks Robert Johnson had learned a lot from Lonnie.
Blues After Hours
Lonnie Johnson Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Blues After Hours' by these artists:
Adrianna Marie and her Roomful of All-Stars Instead of dusty roads of snow We dream of brick and…
IM All-Stars Instead of dusty roads of snow We dream of brick and…
Pinetop Perkins Got the blues after hours and it lasts me until day Got…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Lonnie Johnson:
12_It's too late to cry Too late to cry baby, your last chance is gone. Too…
A Broken Heart That When you down and in trouble, tell your trouble to…
A Good Happy Home I used to be happy, but I would not let…
A Story About Barbara Man, Barbara ‘s a kind of woman, a man don't…
Another Night to Cry Yes Well, another night to cry Baby, just cryin' over you W…
Another Woman Booked And Bound To Go I'll tell you sweet woman like I tol' my usta…
Baby Please Don't Leave Home No More I been lonesome all day, I been grievin' all night…
Baby Please Tell Me Baby, what's on your mind? Baby, baby what's on your mind? Y…
Baby Remember Me Feel so sorry for you baby, there's nothin' I can…
Baby Will You Please Come Home When my days are lonely, I'm dreamin' fer you only,…
Baby You Don't Know My Mind Take me back baby, you don't know my mind. Take me…
Back Water Blues It rained five days, Sky turned black at night. It rained …
Backwater blues It rained five days and the skies turned dark as…
Bad Luck Blues Every minute in the day, every day in the week, Every…
Ball and Chain Blues Standing in the rain by the lamppost, next to the…
Be Careful Baby, please don't leave me, I can't take it by myself. Ba…
Beautiful But Dumb To marry a beautiful woman these days, Is just like a…
Beautifull But Dumb To marry a beautiful woman these days, is just like…
Bed of Sand To find a good woman, is like findin' a dime…
Bedbug Blues I can't get rid of these darn old bedbugs, it…
Best Jockey in Town You say you're a race horse mama, your jockey ain't…
Big Leg Woman Yes I've got me a big legged woman, that solid…
Bitin' Fleas Blues I've got a cat and a dog, they sleeps out…
Black Cat Blues A black cat's full of trouble and I know he…
Blackbird Blues Blues flew on the mountain, but they didn't stay long. Blues…
Blue and All Alone Yeah, say, listen ... [spoken words – Lonnie Johnson] Yeah ……
Blue Blood Blues Mmmmmm, I feel myself sinkin' down. Mmmmmm, I feel myself si…
Blue Ghost Blues Mmmmmm, something cold is creepin' around. Mmmmmm, something…
Blue Ghost Blues feat. Mary Johnson Mmmmmm, I feel myself sinkin' down. Mmmmmm, I feel myself si…
Blue Room Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
Blues For Chris Down in old Mexico, where a child will slap your…
Blues For Lonnie How can I love you woman, when she stays out…
Blues Ghost Blues Mmmmmm, I feel myself sinkin' down. Mmmmmm, I feel myself si…
Blues In G You Can never F with this G You can never F…
Blues Is Only A Ghost Blues leave my room, and please don't come here no…
Blues saty away from me Blues stay away from me. Blues why don't you let me…
Blues Stay Away From Me Blues stay away from me. Blues why don't you let me…
Bow Legged Baby Yes, my baby ‘s so fine and mella, bow legged…
Bring It On Home To Mama Bring it on home to me mama, you've been gone…
Broken Levee Blues I wants to go back to Helena, the high waters…
Bull Frog Moan Seen the bull frog and the toad, shakin' it, breakin'…
C.C. Rider See See Rider, see what you have done, Oh yes, you…
Call Me Darling Call me darling, call me sweetheart, call me dear. Thrill m…
Can't sleep any more I been so good to you, and you been so…
Careless Love Love oh love oh careless love Love, love oh careless love Yo…
Cat You Been Messin Aroun Now look here woman, you done lost your mind This is…
Cat You Been Messin' Aroun' Now look here woman, you done lost your mind. This is…
Cat You Been Missin Around Now look here woman, you done lost your mind This is…
Chicago Blues Chicago's alright to visit, but please don't hang around Y…
Clementine Blues Mean ol' baby, mean ol' baby girl. She's a mean little…
Cotton Patch Blues Goin' to the cotton patch, pick cotton all the fall. Goin'…
Crowing Rooster What makes a rooster crow every mornin' 'fore day? What make…
Darling I Miss You So Darlin', night and day I've cried, I've cried because I…
Death Valley Is Just Half Way To My Home Looked down, that long old lonesome road. Looked down, that …
Deep Blue Sea Blues I followed my woman, from the station to the train. I…
Devil's Got the Blues Good mornin' blues, where have you been so long? Good mornin…
Don You don't know what love is 'Til you've learned the meaning…
Don't Be No Fool If you trust your woman, then why do you trail…
Don't Cry Baby Don't cry, baby Don't cry, baby Dry your big brown eyes, a…
don't drive me from your door Just look how it's rainin', my feet's on the ground…
Don't Ever Love Did you ever love a woman, love her with your…
Don't Wear It Out CS: This advice to you is…
Don`t Drive Me from Your Door Just look how it's rainin', my feet 's on the…
Drifting Along Blues I'm drifting and drifting, just like a rolling stone I'm dr…
Drunk Again I've been drinkin' all night long, I've started again today.…
End It All Well I'm goin' down to the river, take along my…
Evil Woman Man, my woman is so evil, she can't sleep straight…
Falling Rain Alright, watch this … [spoken words, Lonnie Johnson] Storm …
Falling Rain Blues The storm is risin', the rains begin to fall. The storm…
Falling Rain Blues-1 Alright, watch this … [spoken words, Lonnie Johnson] Storm …
Fickle Mama Blues I got myself a mamma, she's always got me feelin'…
Fine Booze and Heavy Dues I've got the blues for San Francisco It's where I long…
Five O'Clock Blues Relief is all right for some people, PW ‘s work…
Flood water It's been snowin' forty days and nights, lakes and rivers…
Fly Right Baby You got to fly right baby, if you want to…
Four o three blues Relief is all right for some people, PW ‘s work…
Four Walls And Me It's five o'clock in the mornin', just these four walls…
Four-O-Three Blues Relief is all right for some people, PW ‘s work…
Friendless And Blue Don't the world seem lonesome, battlin' by yourself. Don't t…
Friendless blues Dont the world seem lonesome, battlin by yourself. Dont the …
From 20 to 44 Stay close by me baby, don't leave me for a…
From A Wash Woman On Up My gal is a wash woman, she wash by trade. She…
From Now On Make Your Whoopee At Home Baby, you stayed out all night long until half passed…
Furniture Man Blues VS: Who is there? LJ: Furniture man. …
Garter Snake Blues VS: Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhhhh, huh huh, Ahhhhh, huh huh, hmmm…
Get Yourself Together I got rocks in my bed, and I can't sleep…
Go Back to Your No Good Man It's true you Bake good jelly roll, The best I've…
GO GO SWING Since you been gone baby, nothing else seems the same. Yes,…
Good Luck Darling Best wishes darlin', the best everything to you Best wishes …
Good Old Wagon You call on me, at all hours at night. You call…
Goodbye Kitten Since you been gone baby, life don't seem the same. Since…
Got The Blues For Murder Only Down in old Mexico where a child will slap your…
Got the Blues for the Westend Down in old Mexico, where a child will slap your…
Happy new year darling Happy New Year, darlin', I'm so glad to be back…
Hard Times Ain't Gone No Where People is ravin' 'bout hard times, tell me what it's…
Hard Times Aint Gone Nowhere People is ravin' ‘bout hard times, tell me what it's…
Haunted House Yes, my house is gettin' haunted, Blue Ghost is all…
He's a Jelly Roll Baker "Mr. Jelly Roll Baker, let me be your slave When Gabriel…
He's A Jelly RollBaker She said, “Mr. Jelly Roll Baker, let me be your…
Headed For Southland I'm headed for Southland, nothin' you can do make me…
Heart of Iron You run away with that man, what did he do…
Hell Is A Name For All Sinners Come on you murderers, come on you gamblers, Come on you…
Home Again Blues Now we all have faults, we all know right from…
Hot Spring Blues I got a little mama, she ain't nothin' but skin…
How could you I didn't believe them, baby but now I know. I didn't…
How Could You Be So Mean How can you be so mean to me baby, when…
How Deep Is the Ocean How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie How…
How Long Blues VS: Well, hello there Lonnie,…
I Give you my money, my lovin' too. Tryin' my best to…
I Ain't Gonna Be Your Fool I work all day long for you until the sun…
I Can Your little eyes so blue, your kisses too, I never knew…
I Can't Give You Anything But Love Baby Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid. It's not a…
I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby Why I can't give you anything but love, Baby. That's the…
I Cant Give You Anything But Love Baby Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid. It's not a…
I Did All I Could Give you my money, my lovin' too. Tryin' my best to…
I Don't Hurt Any More Yes, my soul is full of sorrow, tears streamin' down…
I Done Told You VS: Who is that? …
I Found A Dream I found a dream and it really came true I found…
I Got News for You Baby Well, I've got news for you baby, read the sign…
I Got The Best Jelly In Town Ol' Miss Betty was hungry and cold. She stop in to…
I Got the Best Jelly Roll in Town 2 She said, “Mr. Jelly Roll Baker, let me be your…
I Got the Best Jelly Roll in Town feat. Mary Johnson Ol' Miss Betty was hungry and cold. She stop in to…
I Got The Best Jelly Roll In Town Pts 1 & 2 She said, “Mr. Jelly Roll Baker, let me be your…
I Got The Best Jelly Rollin' In Town Ol' Miss Betty was hungry and cold. She stop in to…
I Got the Blues for Murder Only Down in old Mexico, where a child will slap your…
I Got The Blues So Bad Every minute in the day, every day in the week, Every…
I Have No Sweet Woman Now When the sun rose this morning, I was laying on…
I Have To Do My Time Now I understand, why so many own happy homes today. Now…
I Just Can't Stand These Blues People I've stood these blues, ‘bout as long as I…
I know it's love When I watch the stars that shine, Thank Mr. Moon for…
I Love You Mary Lou I’ve done just as you said, dear I’ll give you a…
I Love You Mary-Lou I've done just as you said dear, I'll give you…
I Want My Baby What do you want I've got, pretty baby? What do you…
I'll Get Along Somehow You're tired of me, so plain to see. I was just…
I'm Confessin' I'm confessin' that I love you. Tell me that you love…
I'm Gonna Dodge The Blues Just Wait And See Every mornin', about half past ten. Every morning, about hal…
I'm Guilty If lovin' you ‘s a crime then I'm guilty, there's…
I'm In Love With You I'm in love with love, but love is killin' me. I'm…
I'm Just Dumb It's a pity the way I love you, and you…
I'm Not Rough Now I ain′t rough And I don't bite But the woman that…
I'm Nuts About That Gal Now she aint good lookin, she dont dress fine. The way…
I'm Nuts Over You Baby, you just a teaser, why I'm sick in love…
I'm So Tired of Living All Alone So tired of sighin'. So tired of cryin'. I'm so tired of…
I've Been a Fool Myself Baby, you talked in your sleep last night, you don't…
I've Got to Get Rid of You Baby, there's some changes made, I've got to get rid…
Idle Hours Idle hours Idle hours Yes, I'm sinking Sinking Sinking down …
In Love Again Love, its only a game. When you lose in life, no…
It Ain't What you Used To Be You had all the men ravin', baby, you sure did…
It Feel So Good I feel so good, I feel so good … [spoken,…
It s Too Late To Cry It's too late to cry baby, you brought it all…
It Was All In Vain I tried so hard to make you love me, but…
It's Too Late to Cry It's too late to cry baby, you brought it all…
Ive Got to Get Rid of You Baby, there's some changes made, I've got to get rid…
Jelly Jelly Hello baby, I had to call you on the phone. Hello…
Jelly roll baker “Mr. Jelly Roll Baker, let me be your slave. When Gabriel…
Jersey Bell Blues My nights is so lonely, days is so dog gone…
Jet Black Blues A black cat's full of trouble and I know he…
Juice Headed Baby My baby ‘s so evil she can't sleep straight in…
Just Another Day Just another day for me to love you my dear. Just…
Kansas City Blues I'm was first on Main and I started down Beale,…
Keep What You Got Take care of the woman you've got, let your best…
Keghouse Blues I was standing in my bedroom, with my head down…
and many more tracks by Lonnie Johnson.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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