Album: Puttin' on the Style (Expanded Edition)
Artist: Lonnie Donegan
2010 UMG/Sanctuary Records Group Ltd. [CD] / 1978 [LP]
CD: 2746348

Lonnie Donegan: vocals, guitar, banjo, 12-string guitar
Albert Lee: lead guitar (2), acoustic lead guitar (4)
Rory Gallagher: guitar (1, 9, 10)
Brian May: guitar (5, 11)
Roger McKew: lead guitar (7), guitar (1, 6, 8-10), bass (4), acoustic guitar (5)
Peter Banks: guitar (3)
Peter Jameson: acoustic & slide guitar (2, 3)
Ronnie Wood: guitar (6)
Mick Ralphs: guitar (8)
Leo Sayer: harp (1, 3, 8-10), second harmony vocal (10)
Elton John: piano (5, 7, 11)
Zoot Money: piano (1, 9, 10)
Pete Wingfield: piano (2, 3)
Gary Brooker: piano (4)
Rev James Cleveland: piano (6)
Nicky Hopkins: piano (6, 8)
William D Smith: organ (7)
Alan Jones: bass (1, 5, 7-10)
Dave Wintour: bass (2, 3)
Klaus Voorman: bass (6)
Henry Spinetti: drums (1, 9, 10)
Ringo Starr: drums (2, 3)
Bruce Gary: drums (4)
Frank Gibson: drums (5)
Jim Keltner: drums (6, 8)
Colin Fairley: drums (7)
Ray Cooper: percussion (4, 5, 7)
Michelle Phillips: first harmony vocal (10)
Sharon Donegan: handclaps (6)
Adam Faith: handclaps (6)
Southern California Community Choir: background vocals (2, 6)


Produced by Adam Faith
Recorded at Air London, Cherokee Studios, Larrabee Studios, Trident Studios
Recording engineers: Marc Piscitelli, Joe Robb
Assistant engineers: Stephen R Churchyard, Fairley, David Robbins

Mixed at Air London
Mixing: Piscitelli
Assisted by Churchyard
Mastered at Allen Zentz Mastering
Sound restoration & digital re-mastering [CD]: Peter J Reynolds

Original album art direction & design: Ria Lewerke, David Larkham
Cover photography: Gary Regester
Inside photos: Terry O'Neill

Expanded edition [CD]:
Compiled by Carl Jones
Annotated by Norman Jopling
Co-ordinated by Roger Dopson
Design & artwork remix: Paul Bevoir


Tracks:
1. "Rock Island Line" [Ledbetter/Lomax/Lomax, arr. Donegan] (5:17)
2. "Have a Drink on Me" [Ledbetter/Lomax/Buchanan, arr. Donegan] (3:03)
3. "Ham 'n' Eggs" [trad., arr. Donegan] (3:12)
4. "I Wanna Go Home" [trad., arr. Sandburg/Hayes/Roberts] (3:20)
5. "Diggin' My Potatoes" [Lawlar/Sunny, arr. & adapt. Donegan] (3:34)
6. "Nobody's Child" [Coben/Foree, arr. Donegan] (3:28)
7. "Puttin' on the Style" [trad., arr. Cazden] (4:01)
8. "Frankie and Johnny" [trad., arr. Donegan] (4:35)
9. "Drop Down Baby" [Estes] (3:10)
10. "Lost John" [trad., arr. Donegan] (4:02)
11. "The Grand Coulee Dream" [trad., arr. Guthrie] (3:47)
12. "London is Behind Me" [Hayward] (2:56)
13. "Whoa Buck (Whoa Back, Buck)" [Ledbetter/Lomax/Lomax, arr. Donegan] (2:54)
14. "I'm Just a Rolling Stone" [Currie/Donegan] (7:30)

Background vocals (choir) arr. by Cleveland (2, 6)
String arrangements: Richard Hewson (4)


Notes: Donegan (1931-2002) was a huge skiffle star in the late 1950s, around the same time rock'n'roll was exploding in the UK and an inspiration to numerous musicians, including a young Peter Banks. However, he was largely ignored by the 1970s. Faith, a former 1960s pop star turned producer, had been inspired by a conversation backstage at a Wings show with Paul & Linda McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Bonham and numerous others where they had discussed being inspired by Donegan and hatched a plan to do an album of his old hits with guest stars from the world of rock. He approached an initially reluctant Donegan and persuaded him to do the album. Although the McCartneys were busy with further touring and do not appear, Faith assembled the impressive guest list, who appeared for free.

Donegan was less interested in his old hits, but Faith insisted. The only exceptions are (9), an old blues number Donegan had long wanted to do, and (12), a solo single by Hayward from 1965. (2) was originally titled "Have a Whiff on Me", in reference to cocaine, but Donegan had changed it to "Drink" for his 1961 version. (11-14) were recorded in the same sessions, but omitted from the original release; they were included in the expanded CD edition. (HP, 6 Apr 13)
Return to Home Page