Lightin' Hopkins...Lord have mercy

[jdsalinger]

Lightnin' Hopkins is by far my favorite blues man. I love the blues, but I'm really picky. Muddy Waters comes really close and has a ton of emotion and probably better recordings, but Po' Lightnin' is the king.

What I love most about him is the way he doesn't follow the 12 bar method. He jumps ahead and his band has to be "on their toes". But there's SOMETHING about that style that I really love. Somehow it works. He's the only blues man who does that, I think.

And the guy is a true master at solo'ing. Makes you want to say "awww yeah"

Anyone else appreciate this blues god?

 

[Hajidub]

Lightnin' Hopkins is by far my favorite blues man. I love the blues, but I'm really picky. Muddy Waters comes really close and has a ton of emotion and probably better recordings, but Po' Lightnin' is the king.

What I love most about him is the way he doesn't follow the 12 bar method. He jumps ahead and his band has to be "on their toes". But there's SOMETHING about that style that I really love. Somehow it works. He's the only blues man who does that, I think.

And the guy is a true master at solo'ing. Makes you want to say "awww yeah"

Anyone else appreciate this blues god?

Lightnin' is also my favorite bluesman. There's something about Texas blues that I like over Delta and Northern styles. BTW, I've mentioned it before, I work with Lightnin's nephew. The resemblance is uncanny.

 

[Mystic]

I'm not certain he ranks @ the top of the Tejas Bluesmen, but he's WAAAAAY UP THERE in the Blues Pantheon, alongside the cream of the Delta, Chesapeake, Memphis, and Chicago Bluesmen. And Blind Willie McTell outta Atlanta.

While my favourite Tejas "blues guy" is Blind WIllie Johnson, he do lean @ the Gospel direction, so as Tejas Bluesmen go, it's probably a close call (pour moi) b/w Lightnin' and Blind Lemon Jefferson for my favourite.

PS: Hopkins always gave credit to Jefferson as the man who inspired him early in life and led to Hopkin's decision to take up the life of Bluesman

 

[Mystic]

And let's not forget the New Orleans Bluesmen, most notably Snooks Eaglin, another monster of tone, power, sotrytellin' and yet nuanced effect when called for.

 

[bobsvinyl]

I picked up a UK 5 CD box set of Hopkins' early work from 1946-51 with 126 cuts. His playing is so natural it just draws you in.

 

[Mystic]

I picked up a UK 5 CD box set of Hopkins' early work from 1946-51 with 126 cuts. His playing is so natural it just draws you in.

He's damned good, that's fer sher.