AVID Roots continues with its Four Classic Roots album series with a re-mastered 2CD release by Lightnin’ Hopkins, complete with original artwork and liner notes.
“Lightnin’ And The Blues”; “Country Blues”; “Lightnin’ In New York” and “Mojo Hand”
A Blues man the like of which they write “they don’t make ‘em like that anymore”. Born in Texas in 1912, Sam Lightnin’ Hopkins began his musical journey into the blues at the age of 8 when he met the legendary and mysterious Blues man, Blind Lemon Jefferson at a local church social. So began a kind of informal apprenticeship when Hopkins accompanied Jefferson to many of his musical engagements soaking up as much as he could from the great man. By his teens he had hooked up with his cousin, another blues man, Texas Alexander with whom he travelled and worked until being discovered in 1946. Re-christened Lightnin’ in partnership with pianist Wilson Smith, re-christened Thunder, the pair became Aladdin recording artists. The career of Lightnin’ Hopkins then followed much the same path as many fellow blues men. Success of sorts in the 1940’s and 1950’s before then slipping into obscurity only to be re-discovered during the Blues/Folk revival in the 1960’s. He would go on to become the most recorded bluesman in history and was voted in Rolling Stone magazine Top 100, as the 71st greatest guitarist of all time.
CD1
1-12: ‘Lightnin’ And The Blues’
1. Nothin’ But The Blues
2. Don’t Think You’re Pretty
3. Lightnin’s Boogie
4. Life I Used To Live
5. Sick Feelin’ Blues
6. Evil Hearted Woman
7. Blues For My Cookie
8. Sittin’ Down Thinkin’
9. My Baby’s Gone
10. Lonesome In Your House
11. Lightnin’s Special
12. My Little Kewpie Doll
13-27: ‘Country Blues’
13. Long Time
14. Rainy Day Blues
15. Baby!
16. Long Gone Like A Turkey Thru The Corn
17. Prison Blues Come Down On Me
18. Backwater Blues (This Mean Old Twister)
19. Gonna Pull A Party
20. Bluebird, Bluebird
21. See See Rider
22. Worrying My Mind
23. ‘Till The Gin Gets Here
24. Bunion Stew
25. You Got To Work To Get You Pay
26. Go Down Old Hannah
27. Hear My Black Dog Bark
CD2
1-8: ‘Lightnin’ In New York’
1. Take It Easy
2. Mighty Crazy
3. Your Own Fault, Baby, To Treat Me The Way You Do
4. I’ve Had My Fun If I Don’t Get Well No More
5. The Trouble Blues
6. Lightnin’s Piano Boogie
7. Wonder Why
8. Mister Charlie
9-17: ‘Mojo Hand’
9. Mojo Hand
10. Coffee For Mama
11. Awful Dream
12. Black Mare Trot
13. Have You Ever Loved A Woman
14. Glory Bee
15. Sometimes She Will
16. Shine On, Moon!
17. Santa
