Stompin' 'Em Along Slow - Acoustic Blues Instrumental - Lonnie Johnson

Lonnie Johnson was THE guitarist of the 1920ies who bridged the gap between country blues, jazz and popular music forms. The roots of modern electric blues and rock guitar can be found in his playing.
Though he fingerpicked the guitar (till the late 30ies, then he switched to flatpicking), his single-string playing, with its singing vibrato, was unique and helped further the guitar as a serious soloing instrument in jazz and blues.

I'm playing my version of an instrumental Lonnie recorded in 1928. Don't let the title fool you, the song is far from slow. Lonnie's version is even faster than mine (about 15 seconds).

Here's a link to the original version by Lonnie :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcsajrR3aag

Note how Lonnie's acoustic guitar almost sounds like an electric guitar because of the poor recording quality. I think this is an important issue why we, modern guitarists, don't come near in reproducing the sound of these old recordings.

The song is in the key of D and uses Lonnie's fetish tuning : DGDGBE, aka drop G tuning.
99% of his work between 1925-1932 was recorded using this tuning, which makes studying his style easier (he used a capo often though).
I've never been able to play this one without a few mistakes....and it swings so hard I can't sit still :-)

I'm playing a copy of a Martin 00 made by John Gréven.

You can find tablature for this song in Stefan Grossman's book "Lonnie Johnson....", great value since the book contains a cd with all the songs that are tabbed out.
Woody Mann teaches this song (partly) also in one of his dvd's (also available at Stefan Grossman's site. There you'll also find two dvd's by Ari Eisinger on Lonnie Johnson's playing (not for beginners though))

I did an easy lessonn with free tab, on Lonnie's signature lick. Here's the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PJPaMkpo28&feature=related


More Lonnie Johnson songs in my playlist
http://www.youtube.com/user/daddystovepipe?feature=mhum#g/c/D58A1E169D9A031E

Category:

Music

Tags:

• acoustic
• blues
• guitar
• instrumental
• fingerpicking
• fingerstyle
• lonnie
• johnson
• daddystovepipe

[Rppempire]

You are an inspiration! When are you coming out with another Dvd lesson. I bought the last one and it was great. My playing is greatly improved because of you man. Thanks.

[daddystovepipe]

@Rppempire

thanks for the support

a new dvd will take a while...so many things to do, so little time..

[61lash]

Great playing !Do you play Blue Guitars or Blue Room that Lonnie recorded with Eddie Lang?

[daddystovepipe]

@61lash

thanks, BG and BR are duets and, sadly, impossible to play solo ;-)

I have a video of Lang's arrangement of "A Little Love./Un Peu d'Amour"...

[Tim5768393]

You make it look way to easy! :-) Weer zéér nice gedaan Carl! Ga je ook af en toe ergens optreden ofzo? Zou zeker de moeite zijn!! Groeten Tim Pan Alley

[daddystovepipe]

@Tim5768393

thanks Tim, optreden is niet echt mijn ding - al dat gerij en gesleur - en dan nog het onderhouden van een repertoire - het zoeken naar iets nieuws, het instuderen, het opnemen en dan weer snel vergeten, da's meer mijn ding ;-)

[bluespreacher77]

Sounds like Lonnie note by note. Amazing! 5 stars!

[potatoepeter1]

the guitar "liegt" here... an old Stella cover... Daddy by sure i will workout this tune..

this old "Stella Cover" needs some repairing...

Daddy (belish), Your Lonnie Johnson performance is very. Iam only an amateur and i give a comment, but this is very good . äh,, belgish beer is very good, but not to good to get very easy here.

[StewFairweather]

Top draw playing as always! Good info.

all the best

[jimbo9580]

as ever .....perfection



[mahzeze]

daddy you rock!!!keep on what u doing ,im a fan :)

[BluesmanRev27]

awesome



[BluesmanRev27]

wow, just wow

[Airave]

Wow, just wow- that was great! :D