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Lazy Lester (born Leslie Johnson in Torras, Louisiana, 20 June 1933) is a swamp blues harmonica master whose half-century career spans the 1950s to the 2000s. Best known for regional hits recorded with Jay Miller’s Crowley, Louisiana-based Excello Records, Lester also contributed as a side-man to swamp blues classics recorded by Excello label-mates including Slim Harpo, Lightnin’ Slim, and Katie Webster. His songs have been covered by (among others) The Kinks, 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, among others, Mike Buck, Sue Foley, Gene Taylor, Kenny Neal, Lucky Peterson, and Jimmie Vaughan (ex-Fabulous Thunderbirds brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan), and has, of late, reaped accolades and awards as a surviving blues legend. |
