The King Of Skiffle Has Died

["An English Boy" <peter_dennis_blandford_townshend@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

LONDON (Reuters) - "King of Skiffle" Lonnie Donegan, once a big influence on
The Beatles, has died at the age of 71 after collapsing on tour, his
publicist said Monday.

Donegan changed the face of British popular music, launching the skiffle 
boom
of the 1950s with hits that ranged from "Rock Island Line" through
"Cumberland Gap" to "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour (On the Bedpost
Overnight)".

The singer, who had suffered several heart attacks and was complaining of
back trouble, died Sunday with his third wife Sharon and son Peter at his
side in the central English town of Peterborough.

He was halfway through a British tour and had already been forced to cancel
two shows because of ill health.

Donegan was hailed as the voice of skiffle, a gritty blend of folk, jazz,
gospel and blues, which the Beatles acknowledged as a major influence.

Eric Clapton had invited Donegan to perform at a tribute concert later this
month for former Beatle George Harrison. John Lennon was playing in a 
skiffle
band, the Quarrymen, when he first met Paul McCartney.

Donegan, whose fans ranged from Mark Knopfler to Van Morrison, shot to fame
on both sides of the Atlantic with the release in 1956 of the Leadbelly song
"Rock Island Line."

It was very rare for British singers to break into the U.S charts back then.
He went on a 40-city tour and appeared on the Perry Como TV show, 
co-starring
with Ronald Reagan.

For six years, every single he released was a hit -- from "Pick a Bale of
Cotton" to "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose its Flavour?"

His success spawned a musical craze -- by 1956, London alone had almost 
1,000
skiffle groups.

Donegan, who played both banjo and guitar, was the first artist to win a 
gold
record with a debut release. He is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as
one of the biggest hit-makers of all time.

As skiffle's popularity waned, Donegan took to the cabaret circuit, starring
in Las Vegas, Hollywood and New York.

His career was given a belated boost by a new generation of admirers with 
the
release in 1978 of a tribute album -- "Putting on the Style" -- with Elton
John, Brian May and Ringo Starr as his superstar backing band.

In 1997, he was given a lifetime achievement award at the prestigious Ivor
Novello Awards.

A spokesman for the singer, reflecting on his legacy, said: "Lonnie Donegan
was a legend -- he changed the face of British popular music. In a career
that covered over 50 years, he inspired nearly every major musician alive
today."






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