Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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LOMAX, Jackie

(b John Richard Lomax, 10 May 1944, Wallesey, on the Wirral, a peninsula near Liverpool; d there 15 September 2013) UK singer, guitarist and songwriter who was championed by the Beatles, who were mystified that he never broke through to the big time. Lomax fronted local bands (the Undertakers played Hamburg); the unsuccessful Lomax Alliance was managed by Brian Epstein; he signed as a solo with Apple '68, sponsored by George Harrison; his debut single was 'Sour Milk Sea', written by Harrison while he was in India. Harrison produced the highly rated album Is This What You Want?, with Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in the backing group; the album charted briefly in the USA, but nobody knew how well it really did because the Beatles' label was such a mess. 

Lomax went to the USA, lived in Woodstock NY and switched to WB for the critically praised Home Is In My Head '70 and Three '71, with backing from Rick Danko and Levon Helm of The Band; then joined progressive group Badger in UK for White Lady '74 on Epic, produced by Allen Toussaint, regarded as disappointing. A new contract with Capitol brought Livin' For Lovin' '75 and Did You Ever Have That Feeling? '77. He sometimes worked outside music to support himself; in 2001 he released The Ballad of Liverpool Slim on Angel Air, and his last album Against All Odds was to be released on that lasbel in January 2014. He lived in Ojai California, but died of cancer on a visiti to his home town.