Jackie Lomax

John Richard 'Jackie' Lomax (10 May 1944 – 15 September 2013) was an English guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known for his association with George Harrisonand Eric Clapton. He resided in Ojai, California, United States, with his wife, Annie (previously Norma Richardson), mother of fashion photographer Terry Richardson.

Lomax was born in Wallasey, Cheshire, England.

Jackie Lomax; Home Is In My Head:

History 1962–1970

In January 1962, Jackie Lomax left Dee and the Dynamites to join Merseybeat bandThe Undertakers. They followed The Beatles' route through local venues before setting out for Hamburg, Germany and finally securing a record deal. They signed with Pye Records and released four singles which only managed to place one week on the British charts among them. In 1965 they decided to try their luck in America.

Lomax spent two years in America with The Undertakers and a couple of other groups. In 1967, Brian Epstein took his latest lineup, The Lomax Alliance, back to Britain to showcase them at London's Saville Theatre. He arranged for a single and an album to be recorded and they signed to CBS before Epstein's untimely death. During that period, CBS released two Lomax Alliance singles and one Jackie Lomax solo single. More than enough tracks for an album were recorded but it was never released.

After Epstein's death, The Beatles' new record label, Apple Records, took over responsibility for Lomax's recording career, andGeorge Harrison became heavily involved in production. Despite having three-quarters of The Beatles on the record, plus Eric Clapton and Nicky Hopkins, Lomax's debut single on Apple – the Harrison-penned rocker "Sour Milk Sea" – made little impression commercially. Lomax and Harrison recorded the remainder of the Is This What You Want? album in Los Angeles with Hal Blaine and other members of the highly regarded Wrecking Crew; but as with the concurrent single, the Lomax-produced "New Day", success remained elusive when the album was released in the spring of 1969. A final Apple single followed, a cover of "How the Web Was Woven" featuring Leon Russell. By 1970, The Beatles' breakup had put Apple Records in a shambles and Apple artists under contract to a uninterested label.

History 1970–1977

After leaving Apple, Lomax joined a band called Heavy Jelly with bassist Alex Dmochowski, guitarist John Moorshead, and drummer Carlo Little. They released a single on Head Records ("Chewn In"/"Time Out", Head HDS4001, 1969). During this period a Heavy Jelly LP entirely consisting of Jackie Lomax songs was recorded, but only issued for promotional purposed and never released commercially.

In 1971 Lomax returned to America to live and work in Woodstock, New York. He signed to Warner Bros. Records and reunited with members of the Lomax Alliance and The Undertakers. They returned to the recording studio but the 2 albums released, Home is in My Head and Three, fell on deaf ears.

Disappointed with his lack of success in America, Lomax returned to Britain at the end of 1973. He soon joined Badger, a progressive rock band originally formed by ex-Yes keyboard player Tony Kaye., and turned them into the type of R&B/soul band he had used on his solo albums. The band became a vehicle for Jackie's songs and singing but was short-lived, releasing only one LP, the Allen Toussaint-produced White Lady, on Epic Records.

Lomax crossed the Atlantic again to resume his solo career and Capitol Records signed him in 1975. He continued playing the R&B/soul which he had perfected during his recording career but which the public stubbornly refused to embrace. He released 2 Capitol albums, Livin' for Lovin' and Did You Ever Have That Feeling? before leaving the label in 1977; unfortunately, he has been without a recording contract ever since then. Did You Ever... was released only in the U.S.

Living in America 1978–2000

The 1980s were a quiet time in Lomax's career. In the mid-1980s he played guitar and sang background vocals on demos for various artists produced by his longtime friend Patrick Landreville. He briefly played with The Tea Bags, an L.A.-based group which included Brit musicians Ian Wallace, Kim Gardner, Mick Taylor, Brian Auger, Terry Reid, Peter Banks, Graham Bell, David Mansfield, and others. In the 1990s he spent time paying with other British artists on America's West Coast, and he toured as bassist for some of the acts that were big when he first got into playing music: The Drifters, The Diamonds, and The Coasters. In California, particularly Ventura County, Lomax played live with a succession of lineups including Tom Petty drummer Randall Marsh, Jim Calire, Patrick Landreville, Mitch Kashmar, and many other well-respected musicians. For this he returned to playing guitar with a heavier emphasis on the blues side of R&B.

In 1990 Jackie recorded the Tim Buckley song Devil Eyes on the True Voices album. Others appearing on the album included Gene Clark, John Stewart, PF Sloan, Lucinda Williams.

2001–2013

In 2001, Lomax completed the recording of his first solo album since 1977, The Ballad of Liverpool Slim. 2002 saw him continuing to play on the West Coast of America. In autumn of 2003, he made a triumphant return to The Cavern in Liverpool where it all began more than 40 years earlier. He can often be seen helping out at 'The Hub' bar in E. Ojai Avenue. In 2004, Lomax was a special guest for three hours on the 'BeatlesandBeyond' Radio Show in Walsall, hosted by Pete Dicks. Dicks later wrote the sleeve notes for, and organised, the UK release of Lomax's Ballad of Liverpool Slim...and Others CD. Lomax has since returned to Liverpool on several occasions, playing in the 'Liverpool' pub in James Street on August Bank Holiday Mondays.

Percy Sledge included Jackie's song Fall Inside Your Eyes on his 2004 album Shining Through The Rain.

On 13 April 2012, Lomax played on the 50th Anniversary of the Hamburg Star-Club in the Kaiserkeller with the Star Club All-Star-Band and members Brian Griffiths (Big Three), Bobby Thompson (Dominoes) and Joe Fagin (Strangers) and also with The Undertakers from Liverpool.

On 15 September 2013, Jackie Lomax died whilst staying in England for one of his children's wedding.

Recordings

• The Undertakers Unearthed 1963-65
• The Lomax Alliance and CBS Recordings 1966-1967
• Is This What You Want? 1969 #145 US
• Heavy Jelly 1970
• Home Is In My Head 1971 #211 US
• Three 1972 #208 US
• "White Lady" / "Badger" 1974
• Livin' For Lovin' 1976
• Did You Ever Have That Feeling? 1977
• True Voices (Various Artists) 1991
• The Ballad of Liverpool Slim 2001 & 2004
• The Ballad of Liverpool Slim...and Others (Angel Air Records)