Rock Island Line 65th anniversary concert

Alan Lloyd has kindly contributed a review of this recent event. 

When Lonnie Donegan stepped into the studio to record an old Lead Belly song in July 1954, he couldn't have guessed that he was creating a new genre in music that would inspire the next generation of British musicians. But the Rock Island Line 65^th Anniversary Concert at a sold-out Cadogan Hall, showed that the King of Skiffle and his breakthrough recording has not been forgotten. The show featured Lonnie's two sons, Peter and Anthony and a number of the sixties stars for whom Lonnie was an inspiration and influence, and all proceeds go to treatment for autism for Peter Donegan's son Eric. 

The show opened with a film of Lonnie’s sons unveiling a plaque at the building which had housed the Decca studios where the famous recording was made. The big screen was used throughout the night for tributes from musicians who couldn't be present, including Albert Lee and Jimmy Page. The music began with Peter performing “Battle Of New Orleans” with a band that included three of Lonnie's final band, Chris Hunt (drums), Sticky Wicket (percussion) and Paul Henry (guitar), plus Wayne Lee, son of Albert (piano), and Anthony Donegan (guitar). Controversial right-wing DJ Mike Read joined on occasional guitar and compered the show. 

The first guest was Lonnie's fellow-skiffler Chas McDevitt (pictured above), who performed “Freight Train” and “Worried Man”. Leo Sayer, who had been one of the all-star guests on Lonnie's Adam Faith produced 1978 comeback album, performed “Midnight Special” followed by his own hit, “When I  Need You”. Dave Peacock teamed up with guitarist Joe Brown to perform Chas and Dave's tribute song “Lonnie D” and folk song “Darlin' Corey”, with Chas's son Nik Hodges on drums. 

Peter Donegan returned to the stage to perform “Little Man”, dedicated to his son Eric, and “I'll Never Fall In Love Again” which he had played with Tom Jones on TV show “The Voice”

After a short intermission, Billy Bragg came onto the stage, highlighting Woodie Guthrie's influence on skiffle with “Grand Coulee Dam”, and giving an interesting history of his next song, Lead Belly's “Stewball”, tracing it back to an Irish antecedent. He finished his segment with a rousing version of his own “New England”. Downton Abbey actor Jim Carter contributed a humorous monologue, followed by Anthony Donegan (aka Lonnie Donegan Jr) with “Gamblin' Man”. 

Two 60's R&B singers who started off in skiffle bands, Chris Farlowe (John Henry Skiffle Group) and Paul Jones (Louisiana Four) joined forces for “Pick A Bale Of Cotton”, encouraging the audience to sing along. Chris followed with one of his hits, Mike D'Abo's “Handbags and Gladrags”, with superb harp from Paul Jones. 

The final guest was Van Morrison, who re-created with Peter Donegan the collaborations he had done on stage with Lonnie 20 years earlier on “Lost John” and “Muleskinner Blues”.  Tuning problems led Van to abandon his guitar on what was nevertheless a great version of “Into The Mystic”. Chris Farlowe joined Van for “Gloria”. 

The entire musical cast, except Leo Sayer who had left the building, returned to the stage for the finale, “Rock Island Line”. This feel-good show was a fitting tribute to the singer and song which began it all.