Lightnin' Hopkins

Lightnin' Hopkins Sam Hopkins was a Texas country bluesman of the highest caliber whose career began in the 1920s and stretched all the way into the 1980s. Along the way, Hopkins watched the genre change remarkably, but he never appreciably altered his mournful Lone Star sound, which translated onto both acoustic and electric guitar. Hopkins' nimble dexterity made intricate boogie riffs seem easy, and his fascinating penchant for improvising lyrics to fit whatever situation might arise made him a beloved blues troubadour. Hopkins' brothers John Henry and Joel were also talented bluesmen, but it was Sam who became a star. In 1920, he met the legendary Blind Lemon Jefferson at a social function, and even got a chance to play with him. Later, Hopkins served as Jefferson's guide. In his teens, Hopkins began working with another pre-war great, singer Texas Alexander, who was his cousin. A mid-'30s stretch in Houston's County Prison Farm for the young guitarist interrupted their partnership for a time, but when he was freed, Hopkins hooked back up with the older bluesman.

Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins was one of the true blues greats, a singer, guitarist, songwriter and occasional pianist from Texas, who through a life as a long-time solo performer developed a highly distinctive style, playing rhythm, lead, bass and percussion, with a legendarily unstructured approach to the 12-bar format. Musicologist Mark McCormick said that Hopkins is “the embodiment of the jazz-and-poetry spirit, representing its ancient form in the single creator whose words and music are one act”.

Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins was one of the true blues greats, a singer, guitarist, songwriter and occasional pianist from Texas, who through a life as a long-time solo performer developed a highly distinctive style, playing rhythm, lead, bass and percussion, with a legendarily unstructured approach to the 12-bar format. Musicologist Mark McCormick said that Hopkins is “the embodiment of the jazz-and-poetry spirit, representing its ancient form in the single creator whose words and music are one act”. Born in 1912, he did not get an opportunity to record until the post-war years, and then recorded prolifically for a variety of labels.

Far from being an actual "best of," The Very Best of Lightin' Hopkins comes off as being a largely nonessential purchase many classic songs are absent and there's a lack of detailed liner notes to even denote which period the tracks are taken from. That's not to say the material selected isn't consistently engaging, with tunes like "Trouble in Mind," "Shaggy Dad," and the classic "See See Rider" being standouts among the 16 tracks. Contributions from Luke "Long Gone" Miles, Big Joe Williams, Brownie McGhee, and Sonny Terry highlight the collection as well. Most of the tracks, though, sound like alternate takes from other Hopkins sessions and some of the live tracks included are far from essential. Overall, there are bound to be better compilations on the market for similar prices.

THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “By the time he took the stage for the mostly solo acoustic selections on this release, Samuel John “Lightnin’” Hopkins (1912-1982) was already well established in the blues world. Born to a poor sharecropping family in Centerville, Texas, he left home at the age of eight, carrying a guitar his brother had given him.

Samuel John Hopkins was born in 1912 to a poor sharecropping family in Centerville, Texas. He immersed himself in the blues at an early age, having met Blind Lemon Jefferson at a church picnic not long after having struck out on his own. In 1946, Hopkins was discovered by Aladdin Records' talent scout Lola Anne Cullum, who convinced him to travel to Los Angeles from Houston. There, he cut sides both as a solo artist and as part of a duo with pianist Wilson Smith. It was during his stint at Aladdin that he acquired his nickname, while his partner was dubbed Thunder. Shortly thereafter, Hopkins returned to Houston, his home base for the balance of his life.

Lightnin' Hopkins, bluesman très rural, mène une carrière discrète jusqu'à l'explosion blues rock des années 70. Enfin reconnu, il se produit avec les groupes phares de l'époque, The Grateful Dead et The Jefferson Airplane en particulier. De santé fragile, il décède à Houston au Texas le 30 janvier 1982.

Lightnin' Hopkins is widely considered one of the great popular architects of the blues style that came be known as "country blues" and which proved to be huge influence on the future development of Rock 'n' Roll.

Newly Remastered From The Analog Tapes; Limited Edition with Bonus Tracks. Lightnin’ Hopkins is widely considered one of the great popular architects of the blues style that came be known as “country blues” and which proved to be huge influence on the future development of Rock ‘n’ Roll. “Mojo Hand” was one of Hopkins‘ signature tunes. Mixing his own style with Louisiana Creole and voodoo culture, the song ripples with an occult energy.