by Luke Edwards

THE rocking sounds of skiffle maestro Lonnie Donegan will reverberate around Birchington Village Centre on Saturday, November 7.

His son Tony - who keeps his famous father's musical legacy alive - performs under the name Lonnie Donegan Junior, and his latest show is in aid of the Birchington Bowls Club.

The legendary King of Skiffle originally catapulted to fame with his top ten hit Rock Island Line in 1955, building a solid reputation as an outstanding live performer for many years before he died in 2002 aged 71.

Tony said: "Dad really knew how to put on a good show, so I'm hoping to do the same. I sincerely hope the rock island line rolls on for generations to come."

Skiffle - a fusion of folk, blues, jazz and country - often used three chords and kept it musically simple, paring it down to guitar, tea-chest bass, banjos, washboards, or any other rudimentary and cheap home-made instruments.

It could even be compared to the DIY ethic of punk in the 1970s, due to the fact that the skiffle boom, along with rock 'n' roll, inspired many British kids to pick up a guitar for the very first time.

A young John Lennon started out performing at a church fête in a skiffle band called The Quarrymen, which later evolved into The Beatles. Even the likes of Dave Gilmour, Graham Nash of The Hollies, Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger and Van Morrison were inspired to become musicians due to the skiffle explosion spearheaded by Lonnie Donegan.

Tony said: "I think Dad was the catalyst. In the 1950s, he was the first British pop star of his kind, and I doubt all the big names would've been musicians had it not been for his influence."

Tickets are £10 each and are available from Framing Plus, 8 Station Approach, Birchington. For further information, telephone 01843 840962 (day) or 01843 846974. All major credit cards are accepted.