April 29: Lonnie Donegan - "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor..."- was born on this date in 1931...

Lonnie was 71 when he passed away from heart problems on Nov. 3, 2002. 

(Video at end of post)

Lonnie Donegan was a Scottish singer, guitar, banjo, songwriter and pioneer, who launched the skiffle craze in the UK.  . Born in in Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland, BS commonly known as the "King of Skiffle" he was a huge influence on the generation of 1960s British musicians including Paul McCartney and John Lennon.  

The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums states Lonnie was "Britain's most successful and influential recording artist before The Beatles. He chalked up 24 successive Top 30 hits, and was the first UK male to score two U.S. Top 10s".

(Press album covers for direct link to entire Amazon Website):

 

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Among Lonnie's many hits include "Rock Island Line," "Gamblin' Man," "Lost John," "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O," "Cumberland Gap," "My Dixie Darlin'," "Jack O' Diamonds," "The Grand Coulee Dam," "Sally Don't You Grieve," "Tom Dooley," "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavor (On The Bedpost Over Night)," "Battle of New Orleans" and "My Old Man's A Dustman."

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