Alexis Korner? Now that would have been 'underwhelming'!

Jerry's nailed it in my opinion, but I'd add that Lonnie, as well as 'exuberance and humour', was possessed of a magical charisma - I'd venture to say that he'd have succeeded in almost any field of entertainment. I'm delighted that his tastes encompassed blues and American roots music because, without him, I doubt I'd have listened to it at all. I don't know about the rest of you, but he was a 'pied piper' to me and I'm not sure that, even after fifty years of playing professionally myself, I'm completely free of the spell he cast upon me.

I expect that Elvis, Buddy and/or Don & Phil would have eventually drawn me into the guitar-playing fold as it were, but it's Lonnie who actually did it. The landscape is as it is, and speculation as to how it might have been without him is pointless. Lonnie is due much of the creditm - he made folk music 'cool'!

Mike: Excellent post!

RR