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Jimmie Lee Robinson spent much of his life dedicated to music, the blues to be precise! Better known as Lonesome Lee, this pioneering musician spent over 60 years (off and on) mastering and playing the bass/rhythm/acoustic guitar, as well as singing the blues!
He is well-known and revered for his involvement in the Chicago Blues scene in the 1950’s and 1960’s and has performed with a wealth of other legendary artists over the years. His path to fame started with his neighbour, Blind Percy, who would later accompany him in concerts and in 1942, he began playing in the Maxwell Street market (an east-west street in Chicago, Illinois and birthplace of the Chicago Blues) where he performed with other local musicians.
Throughout the 1950s, Robinson was in demand as a session musician, playing bass guitar and rhythm guitar for such artists as Howlin’ Wolf, and Magic Sam. In addition to his session work, he recorded three singles for the Bandera label, including one of his signature songs, All of My Life, in 1960.
Throughout the 1960’s, he also toured with the likes of Buddy Guy, Big Mama Thornton and John Lee Hooker, but as the decade came to a close, Robinson’s musical activity declined. Many factors steered his fate at this point, including the death of his mother and the fading popularity of the blues. He still continued to play music, but spent much of his time running his new sweet shop, working as a carpenter and, later, as a taxi driver. In fact, it wasn’t until the early 1990’s that he returned fully to music once more and set about recording new material for a succession of new albums!
Today’s song, however, was recorded at the pinnacle of his career in 1958. Issued on the Bandera label, Lonely Travelin’ was one of his finer offerings and was backed with the completely different sounds of Cry For Me, a well-loved cut on the Rockabilly scene! It really surprised me the first time I heard both sides, at just how different they are, but I definitely prefer Lonely Travelin’ …Check it out above.
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