Lonnie Donegan, the Songs and Stories
The first British pop star and the founding father of British pop music, Lonnie Donegan provided the original inspiration for The Beatles and many other bands.
Now, his sons Peter and Anthony Donegan (pictured above) will celebrate the music and life of the “King of Skiffle” at The Apex, in Bury St Edmunds, later this month.
At the start of the 1950s, Lonnie Donegan played banjo with Chris Barber’s jazz band.
During the interval, he and two other band members would perform American folk and blues songs, by artists such as Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie.
Playing a washboard, tea-chest bass and a cheap guitar, these “Skiffle” breaks soon became as popular as the main act.
Lonnie rose to prominence in the mid-1950s with a hit recording of the American folk song “Rock Island Line”, which helped encourage the Skiffle movement in the UK.
Originating from poor people who had to make or improvise their instruments, Skiffle’s grassroots, amateur style captivated youth in post-war Britain, including The Quarrymen – who later became the Beatles.
Roger Daltrey said: “I wanted to be Elvis Presley when I grew up. But the man who really made me feel like I could actually go out and do it was Lonnie Donegan.”
Throughout the 1950s and 60s, he had 31 UK top 30 singles and spent 335 weeks on the official singles chart.
Lonnie achieved three number one hits, “Cumberland Gap”, “Gamblin’ Man/Putting On The Style” and “My Old Man’s A Dustman”.
In 1995, Lonnie received an Ivor Novello lifetime achievement award.
Donegan had a late renaissance when he played Glastonbury Festival in 1999.
In 2000, he was made an MBE and appeared on Van Morrison’s album “The Skiffle Sessions”, and in 2001 he played Fairport Conventions’ Cropredy Festival.
Lonnie died in 2002 aged 71, after suffering a heart attack. He had been due to perform at a memorial concert for George Harrison with the Rolling Stones.
Lonnie’s son, Peter toured with his father as his pianist from the age of 18.
In 2019, Peter entered ITV’s “The Voice”, where Sir Tom Jones turned his chair during his audition, before they performed a duet of “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again”, a song that Lonnie had written for Tom in the 1960’s.
Peter’s older brother Anthony continues to keep the Skiffle legacy alive, and has performed at theatres, festivals and events in the UK and abroad.
Peter and Anthony are joining together to celebrate the life and legacy of their father; packed with laughter, singing and a lot of foot-stomping fun, the brothers bring you a unique, behind-the-scenes’glimpse into life growing up with a musical legend as a father.
Peter said: “We are really looking forward to performing in The Apex and bringing the venue alive with the music of our late father. We will be sharing insights into our lives as we grew up and performing some of the very best of Lonnie’s music.
“We consider this ‘pay-back’ for all the stories he used to tell about us,” laughs Peter Donegan.
“He sure shocked the neighbours, in a way that would have surely shocked Mary Whitehouse. Expect some outrageous (not suitable for the faint-hearted) as well some heart-warming stories.”
Peter and Anthony Donegan present “Lonnie Donegan, The Stories”, at The Apex on Monday, May 19, at 7.30pm. Seewww.theapex.co.uk or ring 01284 758000 for more information, or to book tickets.