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9781574415469

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This ambitious book sets out to place Lonnie Johnson, a musician known mostly to blues diehards, as a cross-cultural visionary in the vein of Charlie Christian or Jimi Hendrix, and succeeds brilliantly. Johnson is mainly known as an influence on B.B. King, who treasured his smooth delivery and fluid guitar style. . . . With a lucid explanation of Johnson's music, plus many anecdotes both poignant and inspiring, this excellent biography does full justice to an underappreciated musical titan. -- MOJO [H]is style for years had a great impact on a number of famous guitar players and even singers, namely Robert Johnson, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Bob Dylan, who recorded several of his compositions. -- jive-talk.com

[T]his is a must-read book. . . . Up until Johnson had developed his single note style, guitars were considered a rhythm instrument. If you are a serious student of blues or jazz history or just looking to broaden your understanding of either, this is a fascinating read on the life of an incredible musician who forever changed how the world viewed the guitar. -- BluesMusicFan.com

Though recognized by B. B. King and others for his strong influence, blues- and jazz-guitar pioneer and singer Lonnie Johnson is an underappreciated giant of the music, a precursor not only of King, but also of jazz great Charlie Christian and rockers such as Eric Clapton. . . . By bringing the music back along with this commentary, Alger makes a substantial contribution to the history of early jazz, of the guitar's preeminence in twentieth-century music, and of Johnson's major, but regrettably forgotten, role. -- Booklist

Author Information

Dean Alger’s writings and presentations on blues and jazz for the new Grove Dictionary of American Music and others have been widely praised. Also a public affairs consultant, he is the author of five acclaimed books on democracy, elections, and media.

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