Lightnin' Hopkins

Last Night Blues is Lightnin’ Hopkins’ 1961 album, featuring Sonny Terry. The second of three album collaborations, Last Night Blues showcases Hopkins’ and Terry’s different yet complementary styles to create a well-rounded listening experience. AllMusic declared, “this dynamite disc represents what the blues should be: stripped-down, soulful, and full of truth.” This edition has been remastered from the original tapes.

Prestige Profiles, Vol. 8 contains previously released tracks taken from Texas bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins' short stint with the label. These 16 cuts feature both solo and small-combo sessions recorded between 1960 and 1964, and include tasteful versions of such Lightnin' favorites as "Mojo Hand," "Katie Mae," "I'm a Crawling Black Snake," and "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl." Much like the discography of fellow bluesman John Lee Hooker, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the plethora of Hopkins material available, which is why both Prestige Profiles, Vol. 8 and Rhino's excellent Blues Masters: The Very Best of Lightnin' Hopkins are highly recommended collections by the legendary bluesman.

Lightnin' Hopkins was back in his home base of Houston, Texas by 1959, all but forgotten. There he was rediscovered by folklorist Mack McCormick, who shifted Hopkins' image to that of an acoustic folk-blues performer, essentially igniting the flame for the rest of Hopkins' career. This four-disc set collects the acoustic sides the bluesman cut in his new incarnation in 1959 and 1960.

On June 23, 1977, Sam ‘Lightnin’ Hopkins walked onto a small stage in a smoke & whisky filled club in Montreal and proceeded to lay down arguably his last great performance before his death 5 years later. “Lightnin’s Boogie – Live at The Rising Sun Celebrity Jazz Club” - remastered and available on vinyl for the first time – reveals a master blues man still in full control of his many talents and working the crowd to “Get Up Off O’ Yo’”.

Lightnin' Hopkins - Thinkin' And Worryin': The Aladdin Singles 1947-1952 (2016) {Jasmine Records JASMCD 3085}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 180 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 141 Mb
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© 1947-52, 2016 Jasmine Records | JASMCD 3085
Blues / Acoustic Texas Blues / Regional Blues / Texas Blues

Lightnin' Hopkins was one of the greatest and most popular authentic blues artists. These 26 titles comprise the first 13 singles released by Lightnin' Hopkins between 1947 and 1952. They weren't his first recordings but they were the first released under his own name. Although he did record with other musicians and even with full bands it's these acoustic classics that best illustrate his art and they are some of the most endearing blues tracks ever recorded. Includes the popular songs "Katie Mae Blues", "Big Mama Jump" and his biggest chart hit "Shotgun Blues". A true genius of the genre, this Lightnin' Hopkins release by Jasmine is a must have for blues and R&B fans.

The last great country blues singer, with an easygoing style that worked well in settings from solo to guitar/piano duets to small rhythm sections.
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.

One of the most weirdly compelling elements of Smokes Like Lightnin' is Mack McCormick's liner notes, reproduced from the original 1963 LP. Almost breathtaking in their ferocity, McCormick's notes characterize Hopkins as a spoiled crybaby whose only redeeming quality is his ability to make music. The album, recorded in three 1962 sessions, consists simply of Hopkins and his guitar, except for three songs that are performed with a full band. The sound is spare and very loose, with a re-recording of "T Model Blues" and the dance song "Let's Do the Susie-Q," a musical exhortation that seems unlikely to inspire dancing. A brief and uneven album, Smokes Like Lightnin' is less compelling than Hopkins' '50s recordings, but strikes an appealingly lazy acoustic groove.