Lonnie Donegan
United Kingdom, 1954–2002
Scottish-born singer and the leading figure of British skiffle. His use of acoustic guitar, washboard and improvised bass made the style easy to copy and prompted widespread amateur music-making in Britain in the late 1950s.
MusicRoots documents 2 artists who influenced Lonnie Donegan and 1 artist Lonnie Donegan influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced Lonnie Donegan?
- Lead Belly — Donegan's breakthrough 'Rock Island Line' was Lead Belly's arrangement — the founding record of skiffle is a Lead Belly song.
- Woody Guthrie — Guthrie's talking blues and folk repertoire were core skiffle sources that Donegan carried to British audiences.
Which artists did Lonnie Donegan influence?
- George Harrison — Lonnie Donegan was a significant influence on Harrison by the 1950s — skiffle's do-it-yourself ethic helped launch his musical career.