Lonnie Johnson (musician)

Lonnie Johnson
Lonnie Johnson
	Johnson in Chicago, 1941
Background information
Birth name	Alonzo Johnson
Born	February 8, 1899; New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	June 16, 1970 (aged 71); Toronto, Canada
Genres	Jazz, blues
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instrument(s)	Guitar, violin, vocals
Labels	Okeh; Bluebird; King; Bluesville;

Alonzo "Lonnie" Johnson (February 8, 1899^[1]^[2] – June 16, 1970) was an American blues and jazz singer, guitarist, violinist and songwriter. He was a pioneer of jazz guitar and jazz violin and is recognized as the first to play an electrically amplified violin.^[3]^[4]

^ There is some dispute over the year of his birth; 1894 is given on his passport. Some other sources give 1889.
^ Big Bill Broonzy remembered that "Lonnie told me he was born in New Orleans in 1894..." Source also references 1894 as birth date. Sallis, James (1982). The Guitar Players One Instrument and Its Masters in American Music. p. 33
^ Herzhaft, Gérard (1979). Encyclopedia of the Blues
^ "Delmark History". Delmark.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2015.

[1] There is some dispute over the year of his birth; 1894 is given on his passport. Some other sources give 1889.

[2] Big Bill Broonzy remembered that "Lonnie told me he was born in New Orleans in 1894..." Source also references 1894 as birth date. Sallis, James (1982). The Guitar Players One Instrument and Its Masters in American Music. p. 33

[Herzhaft-3] Herzhaft, Gérard (1979). Encyclopedia of the Blues

[4] "Delmark History". Delmark.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2015.

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