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Today's Morning Edition music features the man B.B. King calls "the most influential guitarist of the 20th century." In the 1920s, Lonnie Johnson paved the way for a lot of early bluesmen as well as rockers like Buddy Holly and Jimmy Hendrix.  


When Elvis Presley covered this tune, "Tomorrow Night," he imitated Johnson's vocal technique. 


Despite his importance, no one has ever written a biography of Lonnie Johnson until now. St. Paul author Dean Alger will release the book tonight at the SubText Bookstore in St. Paul, with live performances of some of Johnson's work by Papa John Kolstad and Harold Tremblay. The book is called "The Original Guitar Hero and the Power of Music: Lonnie Johnson, Music, and Civil Rights."

Cathy Wurzer

Author

Today's Morning Edition music features the man B.B. King calls "the most influential guitarist of the 20th century," Lonnie Johnson. St. Paul author Dean Alger will release the book tonight at the SubText Bookstore in St. Paul, with live performances of some of Johnson's work by Papa John Kolstad and Harold Tremblay.

Today's Morning Edition music features the man B.B. King calls "the most influential guitarist of the 20th century." In the 1920s, Lonnie Johnson paved the way for a lot of early bluesmen as well as rockers like Buddy Holly and Jimmy Hendrix.  When Elvis Presley covered this tune, "Tomorrow Night," he imitated Johnson's vocal technique. Despite his importance, no one has ever written a biography of Lonnie Johnson until now. St. Paul author Dean Alger will release the book tonight at the SubText Bookstore in St. Paul, with live performances of some of Johnson's work by Papa John Kolstad and Harold Tremblay. The book is called "The Original Guitar Hero and the Power of Music: Lonnie Johnson, Music, and Civil Rights."

Lonnie Johnson celebrated in new book and performances

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