Lazy Lester (born Leslie Carswell Johnson, June 20, 1933) is an American blues musician who sings and plays the harmonica and guitar. His career spans the 1950s to the 2010s.
Best known for regional hits recorded with Ernie Young's Nashville-based Excello Records, Lester also contributed to songs recorded by other Excello artists, including Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim, and Katie Webster. Cover versions of his songs have been recorded by (among others) the Kinks, the Flamin' Groovies, Freddy Fender, Dwight Yoakam, Dave Edmunds, Raful Neal, Anson Funderburgh, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. In the comeback stage of his career (since the late 1980s) he has recorded new albums backed by Mike Buck, Sue Foley, Gene Taylor, Kenny Neal, Lucky Peterson, and Jimmie Vaughan.
Contents
1 Biography
2 Selected discography
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
Biography
In the mid-1950s, Lester was on the margins of the Louisiana blues scene. According to Rolling Stone (February 23, 2006), Buddy Guy, before moving to Chicago, had played in Louisiana "with some of the old masters: Lightnin' Hopkins, Lazy Lester, Slim Harpo." When Guy left for Chicago, in 1957, Lester replaced him, on guitar, in a local band—even though Lester, at the time, did not own one.
Lester's career took off when he found a seat next to Lightnin' Slim on a bus transporting Slim to an Excello recording session. At the studio, the scheduled harmonica player did not appear. Slim and Lester spent the afternoon unsuccessfully trying to find him, when Lester volunteered that he could play the harmonica. Lester's work on that first Lightnin' Slim session led the producer, Jay Miller, to record Lester as solo artist and also to use him as a multi-instrumentalist on percussion, guitar, bass, and harmonica in sessions headlined by other artists whose recorings were produced by Miller, including, notably, Slim Harpo. "Percussion" on these sessions went beyond the traditional drum kit and included a rolled-up newspaper striking a cardboard box.
Miller dubbed Lester "Lazy Lester" because of his laconic, laid-back style.
More than his vocal delivery, Lester is best remembered for songs that were later covered by a wide range of rock, country, blues, and Tex-Mex stars, chiefly, "I'm a Lover Not a Fighter," "I Hear You Knockin'," and "Sugar Coated Love."
Lester stated that he wrote these songs, but almost all are credited to Miller or to Lester and Miller. Lester also stated he received few royalties, which embittered him and made him skeptical of the music industry. By the late 1960s, he had given up on the music industry, working manual labor and pursuing his favorite hobby—fishing. Lester moved to Pontiac, Michigan, living with Slim Harpo's sister.
In 1971, Fred Reif set up a Lightnin' Slim concert at the University of Chicago Folk Festival, and Lester was brought up from Louisiana to accompany him. A few weeks after that performance, Lester was back in Louisiana. Years later Reif and Lester were both in Michigan, from where Reif orchestrated a comeback. Lester recorded and played around the United States and abroad, backed by blues bands, including, frequently, Loaded Dice.
Lester's recordings in this period are on blues labels Alligator and Telarc, alongside releases in Europe.
If disenchanted, Lester retained his harmonica, guitar, and vocal talents (the songwriting that had been muse to the Kinks and Dwight Yoakam having dried up long before). In September 2002, he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Boston Blues Society.[citation needed]
In 2003, Martin Scorsese included Lester in his blues tribute concert at Radio City Music Hall, a record of which was released as the film and album Lightning in a Bottle. The group photograph inside the album depicted Lester grinning, dead-center among peers and musical progeny including B.B. King, Solomon Burke, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Buddy Guy, Levon Helm, Chuck D, the Neville Brothers, Dr. John, John Fogerty, and Aerosmith.
Lester lives in Paradise, California, with his girlfriend. He appears in the 2015 documentary film I Am the Blues.
Wikipedia
Disclaimer: I do not own the copyright to this recording. This video is for historical and educational purposes only.
About This Footage
This 1958 footage of Lazy Lester performing "I Hear You Knockin'" is a rare and significant find for blues enthusiasts and historians alike. The clip, clocking in at just over two minutes, offers a glimpse into the early career of this influential musician.
Lazy Lester's contributions to the swamp blues genre cannot be overstated. As one of the pioneers of this style, his innovative approach to harmonica playing and songwriting helped shape the sound of Louisiana blues. This particular performance of "I Hear You Knockin'" is notable not only for its rarity but also for its context within Lester's career.
In 1958, Lazy Lester was still on the margins of the Louisiana blues scene, having recently replaced Buddy Guy in a local band. However, his fortunes were about to change with the discovery by producer Jay Miller. The story goes that Lester found himself next to Lightnin' Slim on a bus transporting Slim to an Excello recording session, and when the scheduled harmonica player failed to appear, Lester volunteered to take on the role.
This chance encounter led to Lester's first recording session as a solo artist, where he showcased his skills on the harmonica. Miller was so impressed that he not only recorded Lester but also utilized him as a multi-instrumentalist in sessions for other artists, including Slim Harpo. This marked the beginning of Lester's prolific career, which would span over five decades and yield numerous regional hits.
The significance of this footage lies not only in its rarity but also in its representation of Lazy Lester's early work. "I Hear You Knockin'" is a song that has been covered by many artists over the years, including the Kinks, Freddy Fender, and Dwight Yoakam. However, this 1958 performance offers a unique perspective on Lester's interpretation of the song, one that predates his later successes.
Furthermore, this clip provides a fascinating insight into the production process of Excello Records, which played a crucial role in shaping the sound of Louisiana blues. The involvement of producer Jay Miller and artists such as Lightnin' Slim and Slim Harpo highlights the collaborative nature of music-making during this era.
In conclusion, this 1958 footage of Lazy Lester performing "I Hear You Knockin'" is a valuable addition to any blues enthusiast's collection. Its rarity, historical significance, and representation of Lester's early work make it an essential watch for anyone interested in the development of swamp blues.
Curated from public records and music databases.
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