Lightnin' Hopkins - Drinkin' in the Blues Golden Classics,

Lightnin' Hopkins - Drinkin' in the Blues Golden Classics, VBR

Year 1990

Tracks
1. Big Black Cadillac Blues
2. Early In The Mornin' Blues
3. Coffee House Blues
4. I've Been Buked and Scourned
5. Stool Pidgeon Blues
6. Brand New Car
7. Drinkin' In The Blues
8. Shining Moon
9. Ball Of Twine
10. Fugitive Blues
11. 'G' String Blues
12. Grandma Told Grandpa
13. Rain
14. Goin' To Dallas
15. Last Night
16. Shake It Baby

It's hard to tell where or when exactly these recordings originated, but they seem to be mostly from 1959 and 1960, when a resurgence of interest in folk music carried Lightnin' Hopkins along with it, exposing his music to new (white) audiences and expanding his fan base, giving him star status. A mix of live and studio recordings, Drinkin' in the Blues contains both acoustic and electric music, as well as backup from such luminaries as Big Joe Williams, Sonny Terry, and Brownie McGhee. Hopkins had a gift for brilliant execution on the guitar, strong songwriting skills, and expressive vocals. He also had, as the opening track on this CD illustrates, impeccable comic timing; the monologues on "Big Black Cadillac Blues" must be ranked among this collection's finest moments. Given the quality of the music on this CD, that's high praise indeed.