Lonnie Johnson - Blues Stay Away from Me: Selected Singles As & Bs (1947-1953) (2018)

Lonnie Johnson is famous for his formidable and influential guitar playing, precise mellifluous vocals and his pioneering use of the electrically amplified violin. In fact so much so that another important aspect of his international fame is the fact that British guitarist and pioneer of skiffle music, Anthony James Donegan called himself Lonnie Donegan in tribute to the genius we are celebrating here.

This compilation stretches from 1947 to 1953. In this era he embraces the world of R&B and enjoys several chart hits in an often very pop orientated style or indeed a much more hard-core blues mode.

Johnson's breakout hit for the King label was his version of the 1939 pop hit by Horace Heidt, written by Sam Coslow, 'Tomorrow Night' This peculiar choice for a blues and jazz artist topped the R&B charts for seven weeks and made the pop top 20, selling a reputed 3 million copies. The song also made an impact on Elvis Presley who recorded it during his tenure at Sun Records as did label mate, Jerry Lee Lewis. Lavern Baker had a hit with it in 1956 and Bob Dylan featured it on his 1992 album 'Good As I Been To You'.

Featured on his King sessions that lasted until 1952 are more chart hits and R&B session players and band leaders of the calibre of Todd Rhodes, Tiny Bradshaw, Hal Singer, Red Prysock and Hot Lips Page. Also included here in its entirety is his 1953 session recorded for Rama Records in New York.