1947
TOMORROW NIGHT * LONNIE JOHNSON * KING 4201 * USA
It probably indicates that it is not a first pressing but on the label, just underneath the title, there is the legend 'Lonnie Johnson's Theme Song'! not surprising as it was his biggest hit spending seven weeks on top of the R&B charts in 1948. Lonnie Johnson was almost fifty years old when he enjoyed the success that this record bought him; born Alonzo Johnson in New Orleans in 1899 he first recorded with OKeh in 1925 his pre war guitar playing and Blues styling is haled as being of the most significant in the idiom, and has influenced countless other Blues artists from the other Johnson, Robert, to T-Bone Walker, Lowell Fulson and B. B. King. Recorded in Cincinnati December 11th 1947 Tomorrow Night is a bitter sweet Blues ballad with such a powerful haunting melody that once heard it can hardly be forgotten, and was his first release on Sydney Nathan's King label. On the record Lonnie Johnson is accompanied by John Hughes on piano and Roy Coulter on bass; a version with added strings and vocal chorus was released in the UK on the Polydor album 16 King Size Rhythm & Blues Hits (the 'King' size being a reference to the label), whether that version was the one he recorded for the Parade label in 1952 after his last King release I don't know, but even with all the sweet overlays that version is still a magnificent recording.