Feb. 8, 1899 – June 16, 1970

Lonnie Johnson performs in Europe during the 1960s.

A prolific figure of 1920s and ’30s blues and jazz, Lonnie Johnson travel from his native New Orleans to St. Louis where he settled in 1921. He was an multi-instrumentalist proficient on a variety of instruments including violin and piano, but became best known for his amazing speed and dexterity on the guitar. And if being an amazing musician weren’t enough he was blessed with a beautiful high timbered singing voice.

In 1925 he was awarded a recording contract with Okeh Records as the winner of a blues contest held in St. Louis at the Booker T. Washington Theater.

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