Coltrane and Lonnie Smith

[Milestones]

I've been thinking about just who is Lonnie from Trane's "Lonnie's Lament."  Of course, these days one tries AI.  The answer there is that it is Dr. Lonnie Smith, which strikes me as extremely unlikely.  Smith would have been only 22 when the song was recorded, and the piece has a feel that is like nothing you would find in Lonnie Smith's work (or just about any organist).

Yes, Smith later recorded a Trane tribute record.  But I don't think Coltrane wrote a tribute to him.

So who is Lonnie?

 

[Dub Modal]

Per this article, it was one of the songs from Crescent inspired by poetry Coltrane was reading at the time. 

https://www.everythingjazz.com/story/john-coltranes-criminally-underrated-record/

 

[Guy Berger]

40 minutes ago, Milestones said:

I've been thinking about just who is Lonnie from Trane's "Lonnie's Lament."  Of course, these days one tries AI.  The answer there is that it is Dr. Lonnie Smith, which strikes me as extremely unlikely.  Smith would have been only 22 when the song was recorded, and the piece has a feel that is like nothing you would find in Lonnie Smith's work (or just about any organist).

Yes, Smith later recorded a Trane tribute record.  But I don't think Coltrane wrote a tribute to him.

So who is Lonnie?

 

Definitely not Lonnie Smith, but I always assumed it was guitarist Lonnie Johnson.  Coltrane would have surely been familiar with him…

Edited Tuesday at 03:31 AM by Guy Berger

[Milestones]

Dub, I just read that same article earlier today.  But no mention of who Lonnie might be.

Guy, I'm not sure if Lonnie Johnson seems at all likely.

Or maybe Lonnie is a fictional/poetic creation of Coltrane's.

 

[felser]

1 hour ago, Milestones said:

Or maybe Lonnie is a fictional/poetic creation of Coltrane's.

Or a personal friend/relative as opposed to a known musician, though I can see the poetry angle.

Edited Tuesday at 05:30 AM by felser

[sidewinder]

I was always under the impression that the 'Lonnie' was Alonzo 'Lonnie' Levister, whose tune 'Slow Dance' Coltrane had recorded for Prestige.

Edited Tuesday at 08:59 AM by sidewinder

[jazzbo]

I agree that is a possibility. As someone named Lonson and most often called Lon but as a kid sometimes Lonnie, I have always been intrigued by derivations of this name, and Lonnie or Lonny is most often a nickname for Alozono. My guess is whoever is lamenting is properly named "Alonzo."

 

[Niko]

11 hours ago, Dub Modal said:

Per this article, it was one of the songs from Crescent inspired by poetry Coltrane was reading at the time. 

https://www.everythingjazz.com/story/john-coltranes-criminally-underrated-record/

 

Poems that Coltrane was writing, not reading (p. 247 in the Porter book). Regarding the Lonnie Johnson theory, the fact that the song is preceded by "Bessie's blues" on Crescent sure is some relevant context... 

[Dan Gould]

I guess we're lucky his other tune with a person's name made it clear - he went with the dude's nickname.

Just now, Niko said:

Regarding the Lonnie Johnson theory, the fact that the song is preceded by "Bessie's blues" on Crescent sure is some relevant context... 

That's a good point though it might have been a Thiel tracking decision - but the fact they were both recorded at the same date ...

[Milestones]

It strikes me as odd that it's such a mystery, given the deep research on Coltrane's life and work.  

 

[JSngry]

Lonnie Hilyer:

https://coltranecode.substack.com/p/crescent-the-bridge-to-transcendence

Sure, why not?

[Milestones]

Are there really many people who underrate Crescent?  I find it to be a masterpiece, and I thought that was the general view.  

[clifford_thornton]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

Lonnie Hilyer:

https://coltranecode.substack.com/p/crescent-the-bridge-to-transcendence

Sure, why not?

could just be some friend of Coltrane's named Lonnie, rather than a musician (although Levister is an interesting possibility). Who knows. Love the tune regardless. 

[JSngry]

I have found Bret Primack's facts to usually be straight, although at this late date some citation would be welcome.

[mikeweil]

On 1/20/2026 at 9:58 AM, sidewinder said:

I was always under the impression that the 'Lonnie' was Alonzo 'Lonnie' Levister, whose tune 'Slow Dance' Coltrane had recorded for Prestige.

Sounds convincing. Did their paths cross? Whatvis known about Levister?