Lonnie Donegan

Lonnie Donegan

1665 fans

The British skiffle boom of the late 1950s was desperately short-lived, but its influence ran deep, with many stars from The Beatles to Van Morrison inspired to pick up instruments by skiffle's do-it-yourself ethos and specifically Lonnie Donegan. The son of a professional violinist, Donegan was born in Glasgow but raised in East Ham, London, learning guitar at 14. He was in his teens when he joined Chris Barber's jazz band though his career was interrupted in 1949 when he was called up for National Service. When he left the army Donegan formed the Tony Donegan Jazz Band, changing his name to Lonnie after playing support act to blues musician Lonnie Johnson at London's Royal Festival Hall. It was with Ken Colyer's Jazzmen that he introduced a skiffle segment using household utensils to play blues songs at breakneck speed in the style of poor black musicians in the 1930s. It proved so popular that he recorded Leadbelly's Rock Island Line and his first LP An Englishman Sings American Folk Songs. The huge success of Rock Island Line in 1956 ignited the skiffle boom as more hits followed and teenagers all over the country adopted makeshift instruments to form skiffle groups. The craze soon faded but Donegan adapted his style to score Number 1 hits with the comic My Old Man's A Dustman (1960) and World Cup Willie (1966), and remained a popular concert act for four decades. He was still on tour when he died of a heart attack in 2002.

Top tracks

08
Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour (On The Bedpost Overnight)?
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
02:49
09
My Old Man's A Dustman
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
03:25
07
Alabamy Bound (Live)
Van Morrison
The Skiffle Sessions: Live In Belfast
02:22
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
03
Tom Dooley
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
03:22
01
Rock Island Line
Lonnie Donegan
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
02:32
01
Putting On The Style
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
03:38
10
Michael Row The Boat Ashore
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
02:30
01
It Takes a Worried Man (Live)
Van Morrison
The Skiffle Sessions: Live In Belfast
03:39
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
11
Wabash Cannonball
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
02:01
13
Grand Coulee Dam
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
02:42
01
I´m Alabammy Bound
Lonnie Donegan
King of Skiffle
01:53
07
Gamblin' Man
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
03:21
09
Love Is Strange
Lonnie Donegan
Lonesome Traveller
02:57
Writer: Ethel Cookie Smith - Mickey "Guitar" Baker - Sylvia Robinson / Composers: Ethel Cookie Smith - Mickey "Guitar" Baker - Sylvia Robinson
01
Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor (On The Bedpost Over Night) (Rerecorded)
Lonnie Donegan
Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor (On The Bedpost Over Night) / My Old Man's A Dustman (Rerecorded Version)
03:21
04
Wreck Of The Old 97
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
02:32
06
Rock Island Line
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
03:26
20
Ham And Eggs
Lonnie Donegan
The Polygon / Nixa / Pye Anthology
03:21
Writer: Huddie 'Leadbelly' Ledbetter - Lonnie Donegan / Composers: Huddie 'Leadbelly' Ledbetter - Lonnie Donegan
07
Jack O'diamonds
Lonnie Donegan
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
02:53
15
Mule Skinner Blues
Lonnie Donegan
The Healing Game (Deluxe Edition)
04:34
Writer: Jimmie Rodgers / Composers: Jimmie Rodgers
05
Outskirts of Town (Live)
Van Morrison
The Skiffle Sessions: Live In Belfast
04:21
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
12
Railroad Bill (Live)
Van Morrison
The Skiffle Sessions: Live In Belfast
01:56
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional

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  • Discography
Albums
Traditionals
2024 Transatlantica
03-05-2024
Traditionals
01
John Henry
Lonnie Donegan
Traditionals
02:08
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
02
Bury My Body
Lonnie Donegan
Traditionals
03:10
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
03
Lost John
Lonnie Donegan
Traditionals
02:45
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
04
Stewball
Lonnie Donegan
Traditionals
02:13
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
05
Bring a Little Water, Sylvie
Lonnie Donegan
Traditionals
02:29
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
06
I'm Alabammy Bound
Lonnie Donegan
Traditionals
01:53
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
07
Cumberland Gap
Lonnie Donegan
Traditionals
02:01
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
Access the complete album info (12 songs)
Lonnie's Goldies
2022 Whispering Grass
01-04-2022
Lonnie's Goldies
01
Stewball
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie's Goldies
02:08
Composers: Traditional - Donegan
02
I'm Alabamy Bound
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie's Goldies
01:44
Composers: Traditional - Donegan
03
Old Riley
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie's Goldies
02:42
Composers: Traditional - Barber
04
Wabash Cannonball
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie's Goldies
01:54
Composers: Traditional - Donegan
05
Ramblin' Man
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie's Goldies
04:49
Composers: Donegan
06
Diggin' My Potatoes
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie's Goldies
03:01
Composers: Lowlar
07
Rock Island Line
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie's Goldies
02:25
Composers: Ledbetter - Lomax - Donegan
Access the complete album info (10 songs)
Lonnie Donegan - Vintage Sounds
2021 THEWEBENGINE
30-09-2021
Lonnie Donegan - Vintage Sounds
01
How Long, How Long Blues
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan - Vintage Sounds
02:34
Writer: Leroy Carr / Composers: Leroy Carr
02
I'm a Ramblin' Man
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan - Vintage Sounds
04:53
Writer: Lonnie Donnegan / Composers: Lonnie Donnegan
03
I'm Alabamy Bound
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan - Vintage Sounds
01:49
Writer: Lonnie Donnegan / Composers: Lonnie Donnegan
04
Nobody's Child
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan - Vintage Sounds
04:54
Writer: Lonnie Donnegan / Composers: Lonnie Donnegan
05
Tom Dooley
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan - Vintage Sounds
03:18
Writer: Lonnie Donnegan / Composers: Lonnie Donnegan
06
Frankie and Johnny
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan - Vintage Sounds
05:21
Writer: Lonnie Donnegan / Composers: Lonnie Donnegan
07
Wabash Cannonball
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan - Vintage Sounds
01:55
Writer: Lonnie Donnegan / Composers: Lonnie Donnegan
Access the complete album info (24 songs)
My Midnight Special
2021 Archive
19-02-2021
My Midnight Special
01
The Ballad of Jessie James
Lonnie Donegan
My Midnight Special
02:39
Composers: Traditional
02
Ol' Riley
Lonnie Donegan
My Midnight Special
02:45
Composers: Traditional
03
Railroad Bill
Lonnie Donegan
My Midnight Special
02:23
Composers: Traditional
04
Stackalee (Stack O'lee)
Lonnie Donegan
My Midnight Special
03:14
Composers: Traditional
05
Lost John
Lonnie Donegan
My Midnight Special
02:43
Composers: Donegan
06
Stewball
Lonnie Donegan
My Midnight Special
02:11
Composers: Donegan
07
Bring a Little Water, Sylvie
Lonnie Donegan
My Midnight Special
02:28
Composers: Ledbetter
Access the complete album info (15 songs)
The King of Skiffle (Remastered)
Master Tape Records
10-10-2019
The King of Skiffle (Remastered)
01
My Old Man's a Dustman (Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
The King of Skiffle (Remastered)
03:19
Writer: Anthony J Donegan - Robert J Beaumont / Composers: Peter William Stanley Buchanan
02
Tom Dooley (Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
The King of Skiffle (Remastered)
03:18
Writer: Alan Lomax - Frank M Warner / Composers: John A Sr Lomax - Roberto Desco Morte
03
Rock Island Line (Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
The King of Skiffle (Remastered)
03:22
Writer: Anthony J Donegan / Composers: Anthony J Donegan
04
Pick a Bale of Cotton (Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
The King of Skiffle (Remastered)
02:37
Writer: Huddie Ledbetter / Composers: John A Sr Lomax
05
Mule Skinner Blues (Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
The King of Skiffle (Remastered)
05:03
Writer: George Vaughn - Jimmie Rodgers / Composers: Gunther Manuel Salinger Ehrenfried - Francisco Carreras Moysi
06
Cumberland Gap (Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
The King of Skiffle (Remastered)
02:56
Writer: Lonnie Donegan / Composers: Lonnie Donegan
07
Gamblin' Man (Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
The King of Skiffle (Remastered)
03:20
Writer: Anthony J Donegan / Composers: Woody Guthrie
Access the complete album info (40 songs)
Rock Island Line
â„— 2019 Bridge Pa Digital
25-05-2019
Rock Island Line
01
Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O (Original Recording Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
Rock Island Line
01:42
Writer: Wallace Whyton/Frederick Varley / Composers: Wallace Whyton/Frederick Varley
02
Wreck Of The Old '97 (Original Recording Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
Rock Island Line
02:28
Writer: Charler Noell/Fred Lewey/Henry Whittler / Composers: Charler Noell/Fred Lewey/Henry Whittler
03
Lost John (Original Recording Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
Rock Island Line
02:42
Writer: Traditional/Lonnie Donegan / Composers: Traditional/Lonnie Donegan
04
Rock Island Line (Original Recording Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
Rock Island Line
02:29
Writer: Traditional/Lonnie Donegal/Donald Barber / Composers: Traditional/Lonnie Donegal/Donald Barber
05
Midnight Special (Original Recording Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
Rock Island Line
02:14
Writer: Huddie Ledbetter / Composers: Huddie Ledbetter
06
Railroad Bill (Original Recording Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
Rock Island Line
02:21
Writer: Traditional/Lonnie Donegan / Composers: Traditional/Lonnie Donegan
07
I'm Alabamy Bound (Original Recording Remastered)
Lonnie Donegan
Rock Island Line
01:49
Writer: Traditional/Lonnie Donegan / Composers: Traditional/Lonnie Donegan
Access the complete album info (50 songs)
Chris Barber 1956
â„— 2007 Fellside
29-12-2016
Chris Barber 1956
01
Whistling Rufus
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Chris Barber 1956
03:02
Writer: Mills Kerry / Composers: Mills Kerry
02
Big House Blues
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Chris Barber 1956
04:55
Writer: Alley Shelley Lee / Composers: Alley Shelley Lee
03
April Showers
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Chris Barber 1956
05:53
Writer: De Sylva B G - Silvers Louis / Composers: De Sylva B G - Silvers Louis
04
One Sweet Letter from You
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Chris Barber 1956
05:13
Writer: Brown Lew - Clare Sidney - Warren Harry / Composers: Brown Lew - Clare Sidney - Warren Harry
05
Hushabye
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Chris Barber 1956
03:40
Composers: Traditional
06
We Shall Walk Through the Valley
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Chris Barber 1956
04:08
Composers: Ledbetter Huddie - Lomax James Anthony
07
Thriller Rag
Chris Barber's Jazz & Blues Band
Chris Barber 1956
03:00
Writer: Aufderheide May - Barber Chris / Composers: Aufderheide May - Barber Chris
Access the complete album info (34 songs)
Lonnie Donegan meets Leinemann & Country Roads (Collectors Premium)
M. i. G. - music
30-09-2016
Lonnie Donegan meets Leinemann & Country Roads (Collectors Premium)
01
Casey's Last Ride (Lonnie Donegan Meets Leinemann)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan meets Leinemann & Country Roads (Collectors Premium)
02:46
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
02
Bottle Of Wine (Lonnie Donegan Meets Leinemann)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan meets Leinemann & Country Roads (Collectors Premium)
02:24
Writer: Tom Paxton / Composers: Tom Paxton
03
Dixie Darling (Lonnie Donegan Meets Leinemann)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan meets Leinemann & Country Roads (Collectors Premium)
02:41
Writer: Alvin Pleasant Carter / Composers: Alvin Pleasant Carter
04
Frankie And Johnny (Lonnie Donegan Meets Leinemann)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan meets Leinemann & Country Roads (Collectors Premium)
04:47
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
05
Tops At Loving You (Lonnie Donegan Meets Leinemann)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan meets Leinemann & Country Roads (Collectors Premium)
02:36
Writer: Lonnie Donegan / Composers: Lonnie Donegan
06
Gloryland (Lonnie Donegan Meets Leinemann)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan meets Leinemann & Country Roads (Collectors Premium)
03:57
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
07
Leinemann's Potatoes (Lonnie Donegan Meets Leinemann)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan meets Leinemann & Country Roads (Collectors Premium)
03:29
Writer: Lonnie Donegan - Ulf Krueger / Composers: Lonnie Donegan - Ulf Krueger
Access the complete album info (26 songs)
The Polygon / Nixa / Pye Anthology
â„— 2014 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
08-09-2014
The Polygon / Nixa / Pye Anthology
01
The Midnight Special
Lonnie Donegan
The Polygon / Nixa / Pye Anthology
02:16
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
02
(In The Evening) When The Sun Goes Down (Studio Version)
Lonnie Donegan
The Polygon / Nixa / Pye Anthology
03:49
Writer: Leroy Carr / Composers: Leroy Carr
03
New Buryin' Ground
Lonnie Donegan's Skiffle Group
The Polygon / Nixa / Pye Anthology
03:30
Composers: Lonnie Donegan
04
Worried Man Blues
Lonnie Donegan's Skiffle Group
The Polygon / Nixa / Pye Anthology
02:14
Writer: Traditional - Lonnie Donegan / Composers: Traditional - Lonnie Donegan
05
Harmonica Blues
Lonnie Donegan's Skiffle Group
The Polygon / Nixa / Pye Anthology
02:30
Composers: Lonnie Donegan - Chris Barber
06
Lost John
The Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group
The Polygon / Nixa / Pye Anthology
02:44
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
07
Stewball
The Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group
The Polygon / Nixa / Pye Anthology
02:11
Writer: Lonnie Donegan / Composers: Lonnie Donegan
Access the complete album info (183 songs)
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
07-10-2013
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
01
Rock Island Line
Lonnie Donegan
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
02:32
02
Lost John
Lonnie Donegan
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
02:44
03
Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O
Lonnie Donegan
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
01:46
04
Bring a Little Water, Sylvie
Lonnie Donegan
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
02:31
05
Dead or Alive
Lonnie Donegan
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
02:36
06
Puttin' on the Style
Lonnie Donegan
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
03:38
07
Jack O'diamonds
Lonnie Donegan
His Greatest Recordings: An Hour With "The King of Skiffle"
02:53
Access the complete album info (21 songs)
Skiffle Hits
01-01-2009
Skiffle Hits
01
Putting On The Style
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
03:38
02
Cumberland Gap
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
02:01
03
Tom Dooley
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
03:22
04
Wreck Of The Old 97
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
02:32
05
Nobody Loves Like An Irishman
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
02:46
06
Rock Island Line
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
03:26
07
Gamblin' Man
Lonnie Donegan
Skiffle Hits
03:21
Access the complete album info (19 songs)
Lonnie Live! Rare Tapes from the Late Sixties
27-11-2008
Lonnie Live! Rare Tapes from the Late Sixties
01
Medley #1: Bring a Little Water, Sylvie / Putting On the Style / Tom Dooley / Does Your Chewing Gum Lose its Flavour On the Bedpos (The Caesar's Palace, Dunstable 1967)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Live! Rare Tapes from the Late Sixties
03:41
02
My Old Man's a Dustman (The Caesar's Palace, Dunstable 1967)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Live! Rare Tapes from the Late Sixties
05:08
03
Lonnie Chat (The Caesar's Palace, Dunstable 1967)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Live! Rare Tapes from the Late Sixties
00:41
04
I Wanna Go Home (The Caesar's Palace, Dunstable 1967)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Live! Rare Tapes from the Late Sixties
03:18
05
Battle of New Orleans #1 (The Caesar's Palace, Dunstable 1967)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Live! Rare Tapes from the Late Sixties
02:16
06
Rock Island Line (The Caesar's Palace, Dunstable 1967)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Live! Rare Tapes from the Late Sixties
05:44
07
Medley: Cumberland Gap / Jack of Diamonds / Gambling Man (The Caesar's Palace, Dunstable 1967)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Live! Rare Tapes from the Late Sixties
03:33
Access the complete album info (21 songs)
Lonesome Traveller
â„— 2005 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
01-01-2005
Lonesome Traveller
01
Aunt Rhody (The Old Grey Goose)
Lonnie Donegan
Lonesome Traveller
02:25
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
02
The House Of The Rising Sun
Lonnie Donegan
Lonesome Traveller
03:59
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
03
Ain't No More Cane On The Brazos
Lonnie Donegan
Lonesome Traveller
04:02
Writer: John Avery Lomax - Alan Lomax - Traditional / Composers: John Avery Lomax - Alan Lomax - Traditional
04
The Midnight Special
Lonnie Donegan
Lonesome Traveller
02:16
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
05
Talking Guitar Blues (U.S. Version)
Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group
Lonesome Traveller
02:09
Writer: Ernest Tubb / Composers: Ernest Tubb
06
Corrine, Corrina
Lonnie Donegan
Lonesome Traveller
02:19
Writer: Bo Chatman - J. Mayo Williams - Mitchell Parish / Composers: Bo Chatman - J. Mayo Williams - Mitchell Parish
07
Junko Partner
Lonnie Donegan
Lonesome Traveller
02:17
Writer: Robert Ellen / Composers: Robert Ellen
Access the complete album info (28 songs)
Puttin' On the Country Style
â„— 2004 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
01-01-2004
Puttin' On the Country Style
01
Rock Island Line
Lonnie Donegan
Puttin' On the Country Style
03:22
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
02
The Battle Of New Orleans
Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group
Puttin' On the Country Style
03:11
Writer: Traditional / Composers: Traditional
03
Wabash Cannonball
Lonnie Donegan
Puttin' On the Country Style
01:59
Writer: Lonnie Donegan - Traditional / Composers: Lonnie Donegan - Traditional
04
Nobody's Child
Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group
Puttin' On the Country Style
04:57
Writer: Cy Coben - Mel Foree / Composers: Cy Coben - Mel Foree
05
Wreck Of The Old '97
Lonnie Donegan
Puttin' On the Country Style
02:29
Writer: George Graves - Traditional / Composers: Traditional
06
My Dixie Darling
Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group
Puttin' On the Country Style
03:04
Writer: A.P. Carter / Composers: A.P. Carter
07
Jimmy Brown The Newsboy
Lonnie Donegan
Puttin' On the Country Style
02:38
Writer: A.P. Carter / Composers: A.P. Carter
Access the complete album info (21 songs)
This Yere De Story
01-01-2004
This Yere De Story
01
Bring A Little Water Sylvie
Lonnie Donegan
This Yere De Story
01:32
02
Story - Part 1
Lonnie Donegan
This Yere De Story
02:31
03
My Grandfather's Clock
Lonnie Donegan
This Yere De Story
01:18
04
Story - Part 2
Lonnie Donegan
This Yere De Story
00:49
05
One Meat Ball
Lonnie Donegan
This Yere De Story
00:28
06
Story - Part 3
Lonnie Donegan
This Yere De Story
00:14
07
The House Of The Rising Sun
Lonnie Donegan
This Yere De Story
02:48
Access the complete album info (27 songs)