Featured Artist: Lightnin' Hopkins

CD Title: The Very Best of Lightnin' Hopkins

Year: Reissued in 2000 - Originally Released in 1947 - 1961

Record Label: Rhino Records

Style: Blues

Musicians: Lightnin' Hopkins (vocals, guitar), Various accompanists

Review: Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins (1912-1982) was born in Texas and picked up a guitar at the tender age of five. Several years later, he met the Dallas bluesman, Blind Lemon Jefferson who was to become a hero in Lightnin's life. It was not until the 1930s that he began performing with an older cousin Texas Alexander. The rest is legend.

Lightnin' began his recording career with Aladdin Records. His first recordings, Katie Mae Blues and Shotgun Blues are included on this CD and are from 1947-8. The singer moved on to Gold Star who later became the property of Modern Records in the early 1950s. In 1959, he was "discovered" by Samuel Charters and recorded a session for the popular Folkways label. The Rhino CD also offers tracks from the Folkways session and others from Jax, Fire and TNT.

The sixteen tracks on this issue are essential for fans of the great Lightnin' Hopkins and are drawn from the vaults of all the labels previously mentioned. It would cost a small fortune to buy the original singles today if you were able to find them. In fact, all the recordings in Rhino's "Bluesmasters Series" are great value. Highly recommended!

Record Label Website: http://www.rhino.com

Reviewed by: Richard Bourcier

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