13 Facts About Lazy Lester

Leslie Johnson, known as Lazy Lester, was an American blues musician who sang and played the harmonica and guitar.

Best known for regional hits recorded with Ernie Young's Nashville-based Excello Records, Lester contributed to songs recorded by other Excello artists, including Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim, and Katie Webster.

Lazy Lester's career took off when he found a seat next to Lightnin' Slim on a bus transporting Slim to an Excello recording session.

Slim and Lazy Lester spent the afternoon unsuccessfully trying to find him, when Lazy Lester volunteered that he could play the harmonica.

Lazy Lester stated that he wrote these songs, but almost all are credited to Miller or to Lazy Lester and Miller.

Lazy Lester stated he received few royalties, which embittered him and made him skeptical of the music industry.

Lazy Lester eventually moved to Pontiac, Michigan, living with Slim Harpo's sister.

In 1971, Fred Reif set up a Lightnin' Slim concert at the University of Chicago Folk Festival, and Lazy Lester was brought up from Louisiana to accompany him.

Years later, Reif and Lazy Lester were both in Michigan, from where Reif orchestrated a comeback.

Lazy Lester recorded and played around the United States and abroad, backed by blues bands, including, frequently, Loaded Dice.

Lazy Lester lived in Paradise, California, with his girlfriend, and appeared in the 2015 documentary film I Am the Blues.

Lazy Lester continued to perform nationally and abroad into 2018, often returning to Louisiana where he regularly shared the stage with Lil' Buck Senegal, Carol Fran, and Kenny Neal.

Lazy Lester died of cancer on August 22,2018, at the age of 85.