Lazy Lester
| Lazy Lester | |
|---|---|
Lester in 2004
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Leslie Carswell Johnson |
| Born |
June 20, 1933 Torras, Louisiana, United States |
| Genres | Swamp blues, harmonica blues, rhythm and blues, Louisiana blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, harmonica, percussion, bass guitar |
| Labels | Excello, Alligator, Telarc |
| Associated acts | Lightnin' Slim |
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, Tennessee based Excello label, Lester also contributed to songs recorded by Excello label-mates including Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim, and Katie Webster. His songs have been covered 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.
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 such a musical instrument.
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