Lightnin' Hopkins

[BruceH]

Lightnin' Hopkins is one of the first bluesmen that I really got into, lo these many years ago. Just dive in.

[AllenLowe]

I'm trying to tell you guys, , the Gold Star recordings wipe all that other stuff out - it's Lightning near the beginning, electric and amazing -

[Hot Ptah]

MG, I don't think it is the case that Hopkins is "too rural". He may be too much of something for some listeners, but it is not a "ruralness", to my ears.

He has never hit me as one of my favorites. I have not heard anywhere near all of his vast recorded output--I only have one lifetime and many others to listen to, but I have heard a lot of Hopkins. To me, he is just not that interesting on some of his output.

I agree that the early electric recordings are his best.

[John L]

I'm trying to tell you guys, , the Gold Star recordings wipe all that other stuff out - it's Lightning near the beginning, electric and amazing -

Well, the Aladdin recordings were made at the same time. The Modern recordings were also recorded in the Gold Star studios toward the end of Lightnin's affiliation with that company.

For my money, the absolute pinnacle of Lightnin' might two precious tracks that he recorded for an obscure label in the mid-1950s (I forget the same right now. It is three letters, something like TNT) : Leavin' Blues and Moanin' Blues. Document issued them on CD with some other mostly strong material on a compilation called "The Remaining Titles: Volume 1." Lightnin' plays unusually distorted guitar on these two tracks, and that seems to inspire him to new heights. These sides are absolutely drenched with blues feeling.

Edited April 21, 2008 by John L

[Neal Pomea]

TNT, Tanner-N-Texas, a San Antonio-based label

[paul secor]

I'm trying to tell you guys, , the Gold Star recordings wipe all that other stuff out - it's Lightning near the beginning, electric and amazing -

Well, the Aladdin recordings were made at the same time. The Modern recordings were also recorded in the Gold Star studios toward the end of Lightnin's affiliation with that company.

For my money, the absolute pinnacle of Lightnin' might two precious tracks that he recorded for an obscure label in the mid-1950s (I forget the same right now. It is three letters, something like TNT) : Leavin' Blues and Moanin' Blues. Document issued them on CD with some other mostly strong material on a compilation called "The Remaining Titles: Volume 1." Lightnin' plays unusually distorted guitar on these two tracks, and that seems to inspire him to new heights. These sides are absolutely drenched with blues feeling.

It is TNT - "Leavin' Blues"/"Moanin' Blues"; "Late in the Evening"/"Lightnin' Jump" - recorded in 1955, a year after the Herald recordings.

I've never heard those. Thanks for letting us know about them. They pique my interest, but I probably have enough Lightnin' already.

Edited April 21, 2008 by paul secor

[paul secor]

An addition:

If two volumes of the Herald recordings are too much, there's a 16 track consolidation - Lightnin' & the Blues: The Herald Sessions - available on Buddah records. The Heralds are dynamite stuff!

[Peter Friedman]

Lightnin' Hopkins has been one of my favorite blues singers/guitar players for about 45 years. Had many of his LPs and now have quite a few CDs by him.

[BruceH]

my favorite Lighting recordings are the Gold Stars, late 1940s, I think, released by Arhoolie - I was trying to write out one of his solos one day for a group piece I was doing and I gave up - thinking, 'jeez, this is like a Sonny Rollins solo' - rhythmically, I mean, and I think Lightning shows this side of himself best on his electric pieces -

Got 'em...and they are great. But I haven't yet heard any Lightnin' Hopkins I DON'T like.

[jostber]

I'm trying to tell you guys, , the Gold Star recordings wipe all that other stuff out - it's Lightning near the beginning, electric and amazing -

Well, the Aladdin recordings were made at the same time. The Modern recordings were also recorded in the Gold Star studios toward the end of Lightnin's affiliation with that company.

For my money, the absolute pinnacle of Lightnin' might two precious tracks that he recorded for an obscure label in the mid-1950s (I forget the same right now. It is three letters, something like TNT) : Leavin' Blues and Moanin' Blues. Document issued them on CD with some other mostly strong material on a compilation called "The Remaining Titles: Volume 1." Lightnin' plays unusually distorted guitar on these two tracks, and that seems to inspire him to new heights. These sides are absolutely drenched with blues feeling.

Thanks for this recommendation, ordered that one now.

[BruceH]

Thank God for this thread! It's been too long since I listened to some Lightnin'!

[BruceH]

I'm trying to tell you guys, , the Gold Star recordings wipe all that other stuff out - it's Lightning near the beginning, electric and amazing -

Well, the Aladdin recordings were made at the same time. The Modern recordings were also recorded in the Gold Star studios toward the end of Lightnin's affiliation with that company.

For my money, the absolute pinnacle of Lightnin' might two precious tracks that he recorded for an obscure label in the mid-1950s (I forget the same right now. It is three letters, something like TNT) : Leavin' Blues and Moanin' Blues. Document issued them on CD with some other mostly strong material on a compilation called "The Remaining Titles: Volume 1." Lightnin' plays unusually distorted guitar on these two tracks, and that seems to inspire him to new heights. These sides are absolutely drenched with blues feeling.

Thanks for this recommendation, ordered that one now.

I ordered it too and my copy just came in yesterday. Great stuff.

[kenny weir]

The Hopkins/Aladdin double CD is now at Amazon for $7.99. Great deal, that!