Anthony James Donegan (29 April 1931 – 3 November 2002), better known as Lonnie Donegan, was a British singer, songwriter and musician, referred to as the King of Skiffle, who influenced 1960s British pop musicians. The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums lists him as "Britain's most successful and influential recording artist before The Beatles". He had 31 UK Top 30 single hits, 24 being successive and three at number one. He was the first British male singer with two US Top 10 hits. Donegan received an Ivor Novello lifetime achievement award in 1997 and in 2000 he was made an MBE.