Hmmmm...overly pervasive?

I think Lonnie Johnson was a much more sophisticated guitar player who didn't limit himself to just playing blues. He recorded jazz guitar duets with Eddie Lang.

RJ's music was raw, pure, and thoroughly unsuccessful in selling any records, completely the opposite to Lonnie Johnson. The fact that years after he died, John Hammond had the insight to spot RJ's genius and reissue his recordings that wound up becoming seminal recordings for many people in the 50s/60s while Lonnie Johnson's recordings were also available, speaks for itself.

I like Lonnie Johnson. I like Charley Patton. I like Son House. Oh, yeah, I like Leadbelly, too. (No thread creep here!!) People choose who resonates with them. RJ's recordings deeply resonated with a bunch of people. Lonnie sold a lot more records and made more money than RJ ever did. They each have their own legacy.

PoppaG and Roger the Skiffler, if Lonnie Johnson resonates more with you than RJ, great...start, or continue your own LJ crusade...go for it! That's what others have done with RJ (Elmore James, Eric Clapton, etc.)

-Greg