Lonnie Donegan was born Anthony James Donegan. His Scottish father was a professional violinist who had played with the Scottish National Orchestra. The family moved to East Ham when Donegan was two and his father gave up music.
Anthony Donegan renamed himself after his hero, the blues musician Lonnie Johnson.
Donegan's first break was playing banjo and guitar with Ken Colyer's Jazzmen, whom he joined in 1952. The following year cornetist Ken Colyer was imprisoned in New Orleans for a visa problem. Donegan returned to Britain and left them for Chris Barber's Jazz Band, who were newly signed to Decca.
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