Guitar great Lonnie Mack has passed on

The influential blues rock pioneer Lonnie Mack passed on just recently at the age of 74.  Mack’s influence was broad, from Stevie Ray Vaghan to Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Duane Allman, the guitarist recorded his own music and contributed his skills as a session musician on such recordings as The Doors’ 1970 classic “Roadhouse Blues.”  Mack died Thursday at a medical facility and the death was reported as being of natural causes. 

While Mack may be remembered more for his work as a session musician with artists like James Brown, Hank Ballard, The Doors and Freddie King, he achieved modest success as a solo artist in his own right.  Mack recorded a billboard top five hit with an instrumental rendition of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis” in 1963.  Mack was recognized by Rolling Stone magazine in 1968 as a “pioneer in rock soloing.”