The English of all classes are racist and moralistic enough. That bloody generation that were my parents and teachers certainly were. They fought the war and they were consequently right about everything.

Lonnie was a hugely popular entertainer. he credited the very middle class BBC with introducing him to Broonzy etc. Certainly when   Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger started talking up Woody Guthrie in the late fifties early 60's - we had met many of the tunes through Lonnie.

Chas McDevitt and Nacy Whiskey were another Brit skiffle act. I heard Chas say that he played the Ed Sullivan show the week that the Everlys were at number one with By Bye Love. McDevitt's hit was the skiffle version of Liba Cotten's 'Freight Train'.

Lonnie had a longer career though with many hits. I was privileged to see his last gig in Nottingham a few years back. he was simply magnificent.