Artist: Lightnin' Hopkins
Album: Jake Head Boogie
Genre: Blues
Released: 2002
Almost universally referred to as the post-war King Of Texas Blues, Lightning Hopkins enjoyed a virtually continuous recording career from his first visit to a recording studio in 1946 until his death in 1982. With hundreds of recordings made for dozens of record labels, Lightning remains one of the most prolific (and popular) of all blues artists, as the numerous CD reissues of his recordings demonstrate.
After his initial releases on the Los Angeles-based Aladdin label, Lightning began a four year relationship with Houston record producer Bill Quinn, who issued several recordings on his Gold Star label while also licensing masters to other record companies. In late 1951, however, Quinn decided to close Gold Star and sold his unreleased Hopkins masters to Modern Records who began issuing them on their RPM subsidiary. These 78s captured Lightning Hopkins at the peak of his powers and illustrate his versatility and lyrical inventiveness on archetypal Texas country blues and tough guitar boogies, mixed with rare examples of his piano playing and gospel performances. Although Lightning's cover versions range in style from Blind Lemon Jefferson's 1928 recording See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (performed as One Kind Favor) to Charles Brown's 1946 R&B hit Driftin' Blues, in his hands they become pure Lightning Hopkins.
Since a US-only Kent LP almost 30 years ago, these recordings have been virtually unavailable and only two or three tracks have ever been issued on CD outside Japan. This release includes all fourteen of Lightning's issued RPM recordings plus unissued sides and even three brief but fascinating "run-throughs" which illustrate how differently he would perform the same song during the same session. Painstakingly remastered from original acetates and rare 78s to achieve the best possible sound and carefully packaged with previously unseen vintage photographs, JAKE HEAD BOOGIE is certain to prove essential to die-hard Hopkins collectors and novice blues buyers alike.
By Big Joe Louis
Tracklist
01 Jake Head Boogie
02 Lonesome Dog Blues
03 House Upon The Hill
04 Santa Fe
05 Ticket Agent
06 War News Blues
07 Another Fool In Town
08 Candy Kitchen
09 Tell Me Pretty Mama
10 Give Me Back That Wig
11 Everyday I Have The Blues (Previously Unissued (short take))
12 Everyday I Have The Blues
13 Needed Time
14 One Kind Favour
15 Drifting Blues
16 Someday Baby (Worried Life)
17 Last Affair (Previously Unissued (short take))
18 Last Affair
19 Bad Luck And Trouble (Breakdown)
20 Bad Luck And Trouble
21 Beggin' You To Stay (Don't Keep My Baby Long)
22 Black Cat
23 Mistreater Blues
24 Jake Head Boogie (Alt version)
25 Lonesome Dog Blues (1998)
26 Ticket Agent (1998)
27 Candy Kitchen (With guitar over dub)
28 Give Me Back That Wig (1998)
29 Needed Time
30 Don't Keep My Baby Long
31 Mistreater Blues (1998)
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