Lefty Dizz

Who was Lefty Dizz?

Lefty Dizz was an American Chicago blues guitarist and singer whose recorded work appeared on eight albums.

He is best known for fronting his own band, Shock Treatment, and his work with Junior Wells, J. B. Lenoir and Hound Dog Taylor. One commentator noted that "for wild-ass showmen in blues history ... one would certainly have to go a far piece to beat Lefty Dizz". Lefty Dizz favoured a right-handed Fender Stratocaster, which while playing with his left hand, solicited him the first part of his stage name. Versions pertaining to the second part, range from him playing the trumpet in a style of Dizzy Gillespie, or the nickname being given by Hound Dog Taylor & the HouseRockers's drummer Ted Harvey, pertaining to "playing jazz in the alley".

He was reputedly the brother of fellow blues musician Johnny Dollar.