VIA PRESS RELEASE | Singer, songwriter and musician Lonnie Johnson (1899–1970) was among the most versatile musicians of his era.
He not only found success in jazz, blues and R&B but also pioneered one of the most recognizable guitar techniques in modern music. In the early 1920s, the New Orleans–born artist settled in St. Louis, where he was discovered in a blues talent contest. Before long, Johnson was releasing a steady output of solo material, while also playing alongside the biggest names in blues and jazz, including Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and Duke Ellington.
Johnson’s unique stylings on the guitar also caught the attention of his peers, as he employed a pick to play single-note, string-bending solos. Soon emulated by the likes of Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, and, later, B.B. King, the technique would inform modern jazz, blues and eventually rock guitarists over the century. As a songwriter, Johnson also set himself apart with his expressive lyricism as well as his commentary on racial politics.
These talents helped Johnson score a string of blues hits in the ’20s and ’30s, but his post-war career found him transitioning with equal success into R&B with hits like “Pleasing You,” “Confused,” and the chart-topping “Tomorrow Night.” The ’60s folk revival, meanwhile, introduced Johnson to a younger audience, allowing him new opportunities to tour the world and score a contract with the Prestige Records imprint, Bluesville.
His second album for the label, 1960’s Blues & Ballads, paired Johnson with the seasoned bandleader, banjo player and guitarist Elmer Snowden. Reflecting both artists’ musically diverse careers, the album found them blending classic blues tunes from the likes of Bessie Smith and W.C. Handy (“Back Water Blues,” “St. Louis Blues”) with popular standards (“Memories of You,” “I’ll Get Along Somehow”), alongside original material by both men (“Elmer’s Blues,” “Jelly Roll Baker,” and “I Found a Dream,” among them). The stripped-down recording—featuring Johnson on vocals and electric guitar, Snowden on acoustic guitar and Wendell Marshall on bass—is expressive and intimate, showcasing the breadth of their collective talents.
Speaking on the album, Scott Billington writes, “Blues & Ballads is a musical conversation between two old friends. The warmth and casual virtuosity of their guitar duets are nothing less than a manifestation of a combined hundred years of experience playing jazz tunes, sentimental ballads, and blues—a treat to behold.” AllMusic.com praises, “Johnson applies his plaintive croon and deft guitar playing… effortlessly revealing his artistic range. A must for fans of the underrated bluesman.”
