Lonnie Johnson, the great blues/jazz guitarist's last years

[Ted O'Reilly]

My friend Mark Miller is a dauntless researcher and writer, and his 10 jazz books are accurate and valuable additions to anyone's library.

He has a new book coming out, and if it's anywhere near as valuable as his previous works, (most recently "Herbie Nichols: A Jazzist's Life") it'll be one for all serious jazz (and in this case, blues) fans to get. "Way Down That Lonesome Road", 159 pages in length, is published by The Mercury Press/teksteditions. Dead-Tree-Technolgy aka 'books' (my favourite still) will be available November 2 from Chapters/Indigo in Canada and from Amazon. Keeping up to date, you can get it as an e-book, or on a print-on-demand basis from www.lulu.com.

I remember well seeing Lonnie in the late '60s in Toronto's then-hippy-dolkie Yorkville area, but only speaking briefly with him, so I'm looking forward to Miller's no doubt in-depth coverage of Lonnie's last years.

From the back cover:

"Toronto was Lonnie Johnson’s last stop in a career of stops, at least the eighth city in which he lived for any length of time. The influential African-American singer and guitarist, a formative figure in the history of blues and jazz dating back to the 1920s, travelled north for a brief appearance at the New Gate of Cleve in May 1965 and returned for a longer engagement at the Penny Farthing in June. Over the next five years — the last five years of his life — he rarely left the city again.

"Way Down that Lonesome Road: Lonnie Johnson in Toronto, 1965-1970 reclaims Johnson from the realm of legend and brings him back to life through the recollections of the friends, fans and fellow musicians he met along Yorkville Avenue, up and down Yonge Street and, in time, across a city caught up in the remarkable musical and cultural ferment of the late 1960s.

"In part a biographical study and in part a social history, Way Down That Lonesome Road documents the warm welcome that Johnson received on his arrival, through the successes and failures that followed, to the automobile accident that left him hospitalized for a year and the final, fleeting appearances of a comeback cut short by his death.

"Johnson’s years in Toronto were the happiest of times and the hardest, a Dickensian sort of paradox, albeit in a tale of just one city. This is that tale; here is that city.

[paul secor]

Lonnie Johnson was recorded in Toronto in late 1965 with Jim McHarg's Metro Stompers, a traditional/dixieland jazz band. An LP was released in Canada with limited distribution. In 1994, Columbia/Legacy reissued a CD of the recording. My memories of it are good, but I haven't listened to it in over 10 years. I'll have to take it off the shelf and listen again.

Thanks for posting news of the book and reminding me of the recording.

[Ted O'Reilly]

Lonnie Johnson was recorded in Toronto in late 1965 with Jim McHarg's Metro Stompers, a traditional/dixieland jazz band. An LP was released in Canada with limited distribution. In 1994, Columbia/Legacy reissued a CD of the recording. My memories of it are good, but I haven't listened to it in over 10 years. I'll have to take it off the shelf and listen again.

Thanks for posting news of the book and reminding me of the recording.

Paul, you remember well. Lonnie's on only about half of it, but does a great vocal on "My Mother's Eyes" (treating that musty old thing with great respect and depth) and a hot "West End Blues" that's standout playing.

I had a slight hand in the genesis of the recording, recording the demo of McHarg's group at the radio station where I worked. Jim took it to Columbia in Toronto, and told them he'd get Lonnie as a guest, as they played a lot together. I'm not sure the record guys knew who Lonnie really was -- just a figure around Yorkville, but they went for it. The band went in the studio on November 24, 1965 and did it all in about four hours. It was called Stompin' At The Penny, after the coffee house (The Penny Farthing) where they worked

Something makes me think a CD bootleg of it came out, too.

[Christiern]

Lonnie in my Philadelphia apartment, 1959.

Lonnie on my Philadelphia radio show, 1960.

[TedR]

Great photo. I believe it's Lonnie Johnson (left), you, John Hammond?, and who is on the right? I didn't post in your birthday thread so.....Happy day after your 80th, Chris, and many more! I still remember reading your Stereo Review reviews as a youngster (late 60's, early 70's I believe). Those gave me direction on what recordings to listen to and started a lifelong, consistently rewarding hobby.

[Big Beat Steve]

Great photo. I believe it's Lonnie Johnson (left), you, John Hammond?, and who is on the right?

Am I right in assuming that the bajoist on the right is Elmer Snowden? (After all he showed up in quite a few posts by Chris A reminiscing about those years )

[johnlitweiler]

Chris, thank you - these tapes of yours are a delight.

[Christiern]

Thank you, Ted R. Big Beat Steve is right, that is Elmer Snowden on the right. I appreciate the Stereo Review comment.

I also appreciate your comments, John L. I finally found (on E-Bay) a working reel to reel Tandberg that runs 10"/15 i.p.s. tapes, so I hope to bring more music and interviews to my blog very soon, including more from the 1953 jam session w. members of Hamp's band, and recording of Humphrey Lyttleton's band that I made in London that same year. I also hope to find interviews with Willie "The Lion" and Rex Stewart. If I'm really lucky, I'll come up with a Billie Holiday interview.

Sorry, I realize that I just took this thread in a new direction.

Back to Lonnie, here are a two more pictures I took of him in 1960—he is playing a Gibson that I bought for him (on time payment that I thought would never end!).

[jostber]

As a big fan of Lonnie's music it is wonderful to both hear of this book and view these pictures. Thanks!

[Ted O'Reilly]

I thought I'd bump this topic, as I've found an online excerpt at http://www.pointofdeparture.org/PoD38/PoD38BookCooks_Miller.html

If you've never read a Mark Miller book before, this excerpt will show his clean prose style, combined with deep research and insight into Lonnie's personality. Miller deserves great credit for putting this important artist's music in the light again.

Just Google "Way Down That Lonesome Road: Lonnie Johnson in Toronto, 1965-1970" for dozens of reviews and availabilities.

[Christiern]

My original post here, claiming that Mark Miller had not contacted me in connection with his book, should be stricken from your memory.

Mark reminded me that he did indeed call me and that I was helpful. See, that's what can happen when one is racing through one's 80s

with a full memory. My apologies for that. To reiterate, Mark did a fine job on the book, so I wasn't complaining, just wondering without

cause to do so.

Edited March 3, 2012 by Christiern

[medjuck]

Thanks for the reminder. I just ordered it from Amazon.

I remember seeing Lonnie play at Meat & Potatoes across the street from the University of Toronto. To be honest at the time I didn't really understand his importance. (Just as I didn't really know who Willie the Lion Smith was when I interviewed him at about the same time.)

A friend of mine paid her way through college working as a teller in a bank. Lonnie chose her as his favorite teller and would come to her to withdraw money from an account she thinks was set up by fans.

One day after his withdrawal he commented on the small amount left but said not to worry, he wouldn't need much more. A few weeks later he was dead. BTW She's now principal (president) of McGill University.

[JSngry]

Lonnie Johnson was recorded in Toronto in late 1965 with Jim McHarg's Metro Stompers, a traditional/dixieland jazz band. An LP was released in Canada with limited distribution. In 1994, Columbia/Legacy reissued a CD of the recording. My memories of it are good, but I haven't listened to it in over 10 years. I'll have to take it off the shelf and listen again.

Listened to it about a month ago, actually. It's very, very good.

[jostber]

The very fine liner notes to the Stompin' at the Penny album is here:

http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=8401.0

[medjuck]

I really liked this book, maybe because I arrived in Toronto the same year as Lonnie Johnson, lived on Yorkville in the late '60s and have many memories of the era the book invokes. o And the academic that's still in me appreciates the full documentation of sources that Miller gives. A brief but very enjoyable read.