On this day, 9 September 1957, skiffle legend Lonnie Donegan played Cardiff’s New Theatre. The package included Smoothey & Layton (The fringe of fun), Miki & Griff (American style comedy vocal stars), Richards & Yolanda, Marie De Vere Dancers and Des O’connor.
Donegan was touring off the back of two consecutive No 1 hits with "Cumberland Gap" and "Gamblin' Man" with his soon to be released second album Lonnie (which peaked at No 3 in the album charts).
Born in Scotland and raised in England, Donegan began his career in the British trad jazz revival but transitioned to skiffle in the mid 1950s, rising to prominence with a hit recording of the American folk song "Rock Island Line" which helped spur the broader UK skiffle movement.
Donegan had 31 UK top 30 hit singles, 24 being successive and three at number one. He was the first British male singer with two US top 10 hits.
Donegan received an Ivor Novello lifetime achievement award in 1995 and, in 2000, he was made an MBE.
