Hi, Folks -

Wikipedia has reported the passing of Lonnie Mack, on April 21, of natural causes, after a lifetime of hard living. He was 74.

Wikipedia says:

Mack played a major role in transforming the electric guitar into a lead voice in rock music.[1][2] Best known for his 1963 instrumentals, "Memphis" and "Wham!", he has been called a rock-guitar "pioneer"[3] and a "ground-breaker"[4] in lead guitar soloing. In these, and several other early guitar instrumentals, "he attacked the strings with fast, aggressive single-string phrasing and a seamless rhythm style".[5] These tunes are said to have formed the leading edge of the virtuoso "blues rock" lead guitar genre.[6]

According to Guitar World magazine, Mack's early solos influenced every major rock-guitar soloist from the 1960s through the 1980s, from "Clapton to Allman to Vaughan"[7] and "from Nugent to Bloomfield".[8] Guitarists who have named Mack as a major influence include Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck, Dickie Betts, Ray Benson, Bootsy Collins and Ted Nugent.[9]

Mack is also considered one of the finer "blue-eyed soul" singers of his era.[10]

Here's Lonnie Mack in 1963 with "Memphis".

Thanks to YouTuber funkytv77. Farewell, sir; job well done.

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https://youtu.be/ExRdQtqHyac

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--hobie