Subject: RE: INTERNATIONAL LONNIE DAY
From:
Roger the Skiffler
Date: 15 Jul 04 - 09:56 AM
I couldn't go to the Albert Hall Memorial Concert, here's an account of it from the Official Lonnie Website by his son, Peter (who seems to have gone to the same English teacher as jOhn from HUll!).
ROCK ISLAND LINE.
LONNIE DONEGAN TRIBUTE CONCERT
REVIEW
PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES FOR TAKING SO LONG TO WRITE MY REVIEW OF SUCH A GREAT NIGHT OF WHICH I KNOW LONNIE HAVE ENJOYED.
WE OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE FROM ALL OF LONNIE'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS
THE EVENING GOT OFF TO AN EMOTIONAL START, WITH A RECORDING OF LONNIE SINGING 'GRAND COOLIE DAM', AND WE WERE TRANSPORTED BACK TO THE 50'S AFTER LONNIE'S 2 ELDEST SON'S TOOK THE STAGE AND INTRODUCED THE EVENING AND PROCEEDED INTO CHAS & DAVE'S SONG WRITTEN ABOUT LONNIE, CALLED LONNIE-D, WITH A SMALL EXTRACT OF THE CAST FROM THE BRAND NEW UP COMING MUSICAL ALSO ENTITLED LONNIE-D, DRESSED IN 50'S BILLOWING DRESSES, NECKERCHIEFS & TEDDY BOY JACKETS. THEY SET THE TONE FOR AN EXCITING EVENING, CELEBRATING LONNIE'S LIFE.
THEN CAME THE GUEST ARTISTS,
CHRIS FARLOW, (ALABAMA BOUND)
AFTER SINGING THIS SONG WITH SO MUCH SOUL AND FEELING, BASICALLY THERE AIN'T A WHITER BLACK MAN AROUND, & I DON'T KNOW A BLACK MAN WHO COULD SING IT BETTER
RALPH McTELL, (GRAND COOLIE DAM)
HE BROUGHT THE SONG BACK TO ITS ROOTS, THANK-YOU
ROLF HARRIS, (TAKES A WORRIED MAN/PUTTING ON THE STYLE)
WHAT A LOVELY MAN, SUCH FUN LOVE AND WARMTH. THERE AIN'T ANOTHER MAN I KNOW WHO COULD HAVE AS MUCH FUN AND MAKE THE WORLD SEEM AND ACTUALLY FEEL BRIGHTER. THE ONLY MAN WHO CAN WALK ON STAGE AND TAKE AWAY AN ENTIRE AUDIENCES PROBLEMS IN ONE SMILE! LOVE YA ROLPH AND YOUR WOBBLE BOARD ;-)
GERRY MARSDEN, (PUTTING ON THE STYLE)
ANOTHER MAN WITH SO MUCH FUN AND ENERGY IN HIM WHICH WAS FANTASTIC TO WORK WITH, HIM AND ROLF COULD HAVE STOLE THE NIGHT ON THERE OWN.
DONEGAN BROTHERS (MY OLD MAN'S A DUSTMAN)
WHAT CAN I SAY COZ I AM ONE! WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT IT WAS A LOT OF FUN, IT'S A GREAT SONG TO PERFORM AND I THINK SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS HAVE TO GO TO MY BROTHERS ANTHONY AND DAVID BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. IN MY EYE'S THEY WERE FANTASTIC.
KENNY BALL (SAMANTHA)
THE MAN HAS STILL GOT IT! HE'S BLOODY BRILLIANT, YOU COULD TELL NOW THAT LONNIE HAD A GREAT EYE FOR TALENT.
PETER DONEGAN (I LOVE YOU)- I WROTE THIS SONG AFTER MY FATHER PASSED, WITH HIS ADVICE. IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM IT AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HELP OF MY TWINKLED FINGERED FRIEND FROM THE COST DEL SOL, MAMA PAULA WHO PLAYED GUITAR ON MY ORIGINAL DEMO RECORDING, THE EXTRA ORDINARY TALENTED FINGERS OF PETE WINGFIELD ON KEYBOARD, AND OF COARSE THAT SWEET VOICED ANGEL, KATE GARNER THE DAUGHTER OF CHAS & DAVE'S CHAS HODGES. HER EFFEMINATE LOOKS AND VOICE THERE ISN'T ANOTHER AROUND, WHICH IS WHY I WANTED HER TO SING THIS SONG WITH ME. SHE WAS PERFECT AND SHE ADDED ANOTHER DIMENSION TO MY SONG WHICH TOOK IT INTO ANOTHER WORLD FOR ME. THANKS KATE!
MEL WILLIAMS (HAVE A DRINK ON ME)
THAT REMINDS ME, I STILL OWE HIM A DRINK FOR THIS.
MY DAD USED TO CALL HIM JUMPIN JACK FLASH, AND AS YOU CAN SEE THEY DIDN'T CALL HIM IT FOR NOTHING! NEVER HAVE I SEEN A MAN UNKNOWN TO THE AUDIENCE BE ABLE TO BECOME SO WELL KNOWN IN JUST ONE NUMBER! WELL DONE MATE IT WAS GREAT FUN, HAVE A DRINK ON ME!
BARRON KNIGHTS (DOES YOUR CHEWING GUM LOSE ITS FLAVOR ON THE BED POST OVER NIGHT)-THIS WAS VERY FITTING FOR PETE AND BRUCE. THEY KEPT IT FUN AND LIGHT, THANKS GUYS (SHARON)
BILLY BRAGG (DEAD OR ALIVE)
A BRILLIANT ENTERTAINER, GREAT FUN TO WORK WITH AND A REALLY DOWN TO EARTH, HONEST MAN.
THIS SONG WAS WRITTEN BY WOODY GUTHRIE, AND MADE A HIT BY BOTH WOODY AND LONNIE AND ANY MAN WHO CAN COMBINE 2 DIFFERENT STYLES AND COMBINE 2 FITTING TRIBUTES INTO ONE IS FINE BY ME, BLOODY GREAT BILLY.
RICK WAKEMAN & CHRISSY HAMMOND. (SEVEN GOLDEN DAFFODILS)
WHAT CAN I SAY?! WORDS CAN'T EXPLAIN THE RUSH OF EMOTION SENT THROUGH ME SO EFFORTLESSLY FROM THE SOUND AND BRILLIANCE OF SUCH A VOICE AS CHRISSIE'S. JUST WOW!!
AND RICK WAS LESS OF A SURPRISE..... WE ALL KNOW HE'S A BLOODY GENIUS. HE'S NOT JUST A TECHNICALLY GREAT PIANIST BUT SO MUCH FEELING AND EMOTION TOO! BLOODY GREAT! JUST STOP MAKING ME FOLLOW YOU!! ;-)
JOE BROWN (ROCK O MY SOUL/ BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS)
JOE WAS GREAT AND SHOWED US WHERE GOOD VOCAL REHEARSAL AND A DUSTY VIOLIN CAN GET YOU!! ;-)
GREAT FUN ON THE NIGHT AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD FRIEND. ANYTHING THAT I COULD SAY WOULDN'T DO HIM JUSTICE, A MAN WHO'S TALENT AND VITALITY MIXED WITH ALOT OF EXPERIENCE WILL NOT BE BETTERED OR MATCHED FOR A LONG TIME TO COME. LOVE YOU JOE!
JOE BROWN (ROCK O MY SOUL/ BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS)
JOE WAS GREAT AND SHOWED US WHERE GOOD VOCAL REHEARSAL AND A DUSTY VIOLIN CAN GET YOU!! ;-)
GREAT FUN ON THE NIGHT AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD FRIEND. ANYTHING THAT I COULD SAY WOULDN'T DO HIM JUSTICE, A MAN WHO'S TALENT AND VITALITY MIXED WITH ALOT OF EXPERIENCE WILL NOT BE BETTERED OR MATCHED FOR A LONG TIME TO COME. LOVE YOU JOE!
HOGAN'S HERO'S FEATURING BRUCE WELCH, & HITSVILLE. (RAIL ROAD BILL)
HERE THEY ARE! THREE GREEK GAY GUYS! NOT REALLY THATS WHAT I ACCIDENTALLY CALLED THEM WHILE REHEARSING THEIR INTRODUCTION I WAS MEANT TO SAY, THREE GREAT GUYS, AND THEY ARE THE BEST. THEY HAVE FANTASTIC VOICES; THEY ARE THE SOUL VERSION OF THE THREE TENORS, SINGING ALONG SIDE BRUCE WELCH.
HOGAN'S HERO'S FEATURING BRUCE WELCH & PETER DONEGAN. (FRANKIE AND JOHNNY)
I HAD GREAT FUN DOING THIS SONG EARLIER IN THE YEAR WITH HOGAN'S HEROS IN A SMALL CLUB IN THE NORTH EAST. IT ROCKED THAT NIGHT SO MUCH SO THAT WE ASKED THEM TO DO IT ON THE TRIBUTE AND WITH BRUCE ON BOARD IT MADE MY NIGHT COMPLETE. THANKS ALL OF YOU, IT ROCKED!
PETER DONEGAN (I'LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN)
THIS WAS A SONG WHICH HAD MIXED EMOTIONS FOR ME. ON ONE HAND IT WAS SOMETHING GRAND AND EXCITING TO LOOK FORWARD TO, AND ON THE OTHER HAND PUT SUCH A BAD CASE OF THE JITTERS IN ME, AS MANY WILL HAVE NOTED BY THE WAY I TOOK MY TIME BEFORE STARTING IT. (AND THE APTLY WORN BROWN SUIT.)
THIS SONG WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SERVICES OF SUCH A GREAT BAND ESPECIALLY RAY COOPER WHO TAKES A TAMBOURINE AND MAKES OT ONTO AN ART FORM ONLY COMPARABLE IN THE ARTS WORLD WITH MONET OR EVEN AS MORE COLORFUL THAN VAN GOFF. THE THREE BRILLIANT GUYS THAT ARE HITSVILLE AND OF COURSE IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AT ALL POSSIBLE, WITH OUT THE AMAZING TALENTS OF THREE GIRLS, BEAUTIFUL IN EVERY WAY. THE SOUNDS OF THEIR VOICES MAKES YOU BELIEVE THERE IS A HEAVEN. IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER FALLEN IN LOVE WITH 3 WOMEN AT ONCE, AND SO QUICKLY?-!! MARGO, AITCH, AND CLAUDIA, YOU ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST, YOU THREE WERE THE ICING ON AN INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS CAKE. BASICALLY I HAD FUN!!
ANTHONY DONEGAN (CORRINE, CORRINA.)
I WAS EXTREMELY PROUD OF ANT THAT NIGHT. HE HAS NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS KIND OF SHOW BEFORE AND FOR HIM TO ABLE TO STAND UP THERE AND HOLD HIS HEAD UP LIKE THAT IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS WAS AN ACHIEVEMENT SOME OF US NEVER MANAGE TO DO. HE CARRIED THE SONG OFF WITH SUCH VIGURE AND CONFIDENCE, PLUS HE SOUNDED JUST LIKE DAD! I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT HE CAN DO IN THE NEW MUSICAL.
ROGER DALTREY. (TIMES ARE GETTING HARD BOYS/HAM AND EGGS)
ROGER SHOWED US THE TRUE EXTENT OF HIS VOCAL TALENTS WITH HIS RENDITION OF "TIMES ARE GETTING HARD BOYS". THE WAY HE PERFORMED THIS SONG WITH ITS LONESOME COWBOY FEEL AND ITS SENSITIVITY, SHOWED US WHERE HIS ROOTS CAME FROM BEFORE HARD ROCK.
MARK KNOPFLER, FEATURING JOE BROWN (DARLING COREY/DONEGAN'S GONE)
MARK TOLD US THAT DARLING COREY WAS HIS FAVORITE SONG AND HE SHOWED US HOW MUCH BY PERFORMING IT THAT NIGHT. HIS GUITAR SKILLS AND STYLE ARE STILL COMPLETELY UNIQUE AND ALWAYS WILL BE.
THE SECOND SONG HE PERFORMED WITH JOE WAS A SONG HE'D WRITTEN TO COMMEMORATE LONNIE AND IT WAS NOT ONLY IN MY OPINION BEAUTIFUL BUT CLEVER BY THE WAY HE MANAGED TO INCLUDE SOME OF LON'S SONG TITLES IN THE LYRICS. THE SONG WAS SO TOUCHING AND WHEN HE SUNG THE LYRICS "I COULD CRY" IT SENT TEAR RUNNING DOWN MOST OF OUR CHEEKS. IT WAS A VERY FITTING TRIBUTE FOR LONNIE. THANKS MARK.
JOE COCKER (DIGGIN' MY POTATOES/NO BODY'S CHILD)
FOR ME AS A MUSICIAN AND A PERFORMER THIS WAS THE SHEER ORGASMIC CLIMAX OF THE NIGHT. THE SOUND AND EXCITEMENT AND FEELING EMITTING FROM ONE MAN. THE ONLY MAN TO BE ON PAR WITH LONNIE AND FOR ME WAS THE ONLY MAN TO BUILD THIS KIND OF SHOW UP TO. THERE ISN'T MUCH I CAN SAY, BECAUSE HE IS NOT ONLY BRILLIANT AT WHAT HE DOES AND A LEGEND IN HIS OWN RIGHT. BUT HE IS A REALLY SOUND, DOWN TO EARTH GUY, WHO WAS GREAT TO WORK WITH. THIS WASN'T JUST PLAYING MUSIC THIS WAS ABOUT BEING IN THE MUSIC. AND WITH ALL THE BACKING SINGERS ON STAGE, AND RAY COOPER ON PERCUSSION, PETE WINGFIELD ON PIANO, THIS WASN'T JUST ORGASMIC EITHER, IT WAS MULTIPLE ORGASMS, IT WAS BETTER THAN SEX. I COULD DO THAT ALL NIGHT, EVERY NIGHT.
PETE AND ANTHONY DONEGAN (ROCK ISLAND LINE)
LETS JUST SAY WE HAD EXTREME FUN, BY THIS POINT IN TIME WE WERE ON A MAGER HIGH FROM JOE, AND THE LEAD UP TO WHOLE NIGHT. WE HAD REACHED A POINT NOW WHERE WE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING ANY MORE JUST HOW MUCH FUN WE WERE HAVING, BECAUSE WITH SUCH A GREAT BAND BEHIND US, HOW COULD WE GO WRONG?! RAY COOPER WAS SUPURB AND HOW DO THINK YOU WOULD FEEL IF YOU TURNED AROUND AND SAW THOSE HUGE COTTON SWABS HE HAD FOR STICKS WHACKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE CRASHING THOSE CYMBALS. BLOODY GREAT THAT'S HOW! THIS WAS A MAGIC NIGHT FOR US AND WE WERE WORKING WITH MAGIC PEOPLE.
VAN MORRISON (LOST JOHN/JESSY JAMES/MIDNIGHT SPECIAL/GOODNIGHT IRENE)
"LONNIE ALWAYS CALLED HIM" (MAT THE HAT). WHAT A TRIBUTE TO HAVE THIS MAN. LONNIE RECORDED AND PERFORMEND WITH HIM MANY TIMES WITH GREAT PLEASURE, THANKS TO VAN HE PUT LONNIE BACK ON TRACK,(BACK TO HIS ROOT'S) & LONNIE WAS SO THANKFUL TO WHICH HE WOULD SAY SO EVERY KNIGHT ON HIS LAST TOUR, I REALY FELT LONNIE WAS STANDING BESIDE HIM ON THIS GREAT KNIGHT. THANK YOU VAN.
GOODNIGHT IRENE:
THIS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL TO HAVE VAN BRING ON STAGE ALL OF LONNIE'S FRENDS AND FAMILY TO SING THIS SONG IT WAS ELECTRIFYING EVERYBODY IN THE HALL WERE ON THERE FEET CHEERING FOR LONNIE.
GOD BLESS YOU LONNIE:
P.S. BETWEEN LONNIE'S FAMILY (PETER OAKMAN) (PAUL HENRY) (CHRIS HUNT) (STICKY WICKET) (MIKE PACE) (ROGER DUGELBY) AND (LONNIE'S THREE SON'S) WE WILL NOT LET YOU BE FOREGOTTON.
RtS
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