All in all, an excellent collection of vintage Lightnin' Hopkins at his very best.

Born in Centerville, Texas, Hopkins learned the blues when young in Buffalo, Texas from Blind Lemon Jefferson and his older cousin, country-blues singer Alger Texas Alexander. In the mid-1930s, Hopkins was sent to Houston County Prison Farm for an unknown offense. In the late 1930s Hopkins moved to Houston with Alexander in an unsuccessful attempt to break into the music scene there. By the early 1940s he was back in Centerville working as a farm hand. Hopkins took at second shot at Houston in 1946. While singing on Dowling St. (which would become his home base) he was discovered by Lola Anne Cullum from the Los Angeles-based record label Aladdin Records. She convinced Hopkins to travel to LA where he accompanied pianist Wilson Smith. The duo recorded twelve tracks in their first sessions in 1946. An Aladdin Records executive decided the pair needed more 'oomph' in their names and dubbed Hopkins 'Lightnin'' and Wilson 'Thunder'. Hopkins recorded more sides for Aladdin in 1947 but soon grew homesick. He returned to Houston and began recording for the Gold Star label. during the late 40s and 1950s Hopkins rarely performed outside Texas.However, he recorded prolifically. Occasionally traveling to the Mid-West and Eastern US for recording sessions and concert appearances. It has been estimated that he recorded between 800 and 1000 songs during his career. He performed regular at clubs in and around Houston, particularly in Dowling St. where he had first been discovered. By the mid to late 1950s his prodigious output of very fine quality recordings had gained him a following among African Americans and blues music aficionados. In 1959 Hopkins was contacted by folklorist Mack McCormick who hoped to bring Lightnin' to the attention of the broader musical audience which was caught up in the Folk revival. McCormack presented Hopkins to integrated audiences first in Houston and then in California.

Cast & Crew

Director: 

Track Listing

• Black Cat Bone
• Disagreeable
• Dark And Cloudy
• Baby Child
• The Lazy J
• (Lightnin's) Gone Again
• I've Been A Bad Man (Mad Blues)
• New Worried Life Blues (J 494)
• One Kind Of Favor (J 495)
• Worried Blues
• You Do Too (I'll Never Forget The Day)
• My Mama Told Me
• What's The Matter Now?
• Late In The Evening
• Lightnin' Jump (8002-2)
• Leavin' Blues
• Moanin' Blues
• Walkin' The Streets
• Mussy Haired Woman
• One Kind Favor (RBF 202)
• The Slop
• How Long Has The Train Been Gone
• Baby I Don't Care
• Houston Bound
• Hello Austria

Additional Details

Label: Document Records

Genre: Blues

Language: English

Run Time: 60 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 04/01/22

UPC: 714298560923