Fingerpicking Blues Lesson – Lonnie Johnson’s signature licks

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:53:09 +0000

A major figure in guitar history, Lonnie Johnson bridged blues and jazz styles, playing with blues shouters like Bessie Smith and Texas Alexander on the one hand, and Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington on the other. The list of guitarists who have cited him as a major influence reads like a genealogy of blues/rock : Robert Johnson (listen to his ‘Malted Milk’), T-bone Walker, BB King and Jimi Hendrix. Though he fingerpicked the guitar, Johnson’s single string playing, with its singing vibrato, was unique and startling and helped further the guitar as a serious soloing instrument in blues and jazz. Lonnie was definitevely the first in blues history to record single string solo’s. I made up a verse in the key of D with some typical Lonnie Johnson licks and explain them in detail afterwards. IMPORTANT : I had to cut the lesson short to remain under the 100mgb so I did not explain the tuning. It’s from low to high : DGDGBE Most of Lonnie’s playing between 1926 and 1932 is in the key of D and this tuning (aka G6 or drop G tuning) Stefan Grossman made a Lonnie Johnson tabbook with transcriptions of some of his greatest intrumentals guitarvideos.com On the same site you’ll also find a lesson package on Lonnie by Woody Mann. There’s also a tabbook by Lennie Carlson called ‘Away Down In The Alley’ published by Mel Bay (out of print though). Check my playlists for more Lonnie Johnson songs and instrumentals. Also my cd ‘Blues and Gospel from the 78rpm Era’ has a nice Lonnie Johnson inspired track called ‘Boogie Dance’ www.youtunerecords.com I uploaded another lesson in this style (with free TAB) www.youtube.com

BACKROADS OF AMERICAN MUSIC » licks

Fingerpicking Blues Lesson – Lonnie Johnson’s signature licks