Nothing But The Blues XIII

For the next two days we will be looking at some early recordings of Lightnin' Hopkins. Sam Hopkins, as he was really called, was born in Texas in 1912 as a son to Abe Hopkins, also a musician. It was his brother Joel, also a Blues musician, who learned Sam to play the guitar. But it wasn't until Sam met Blind Lemon Jefferson (playing with T-Bone Walker and his father) that Sam decided he would be a Blues musician. As a teenager Sam accompanied Alger "Texas" Alexander, a cousin of him. For reasons unknown Sam was sent to prison half way through the 30's, not to be released before the end of the 30's. At that time he picked up where he left of with Texas Alexander. It wasn't until 1946 before the two of them were discovered in Houston.
Sam got his nickname from these first recordings in 1946. He was put in the studio together with pianist and singer Wilson "Thunder" Smith. The titles from there first recording session where released under the name "Thunder & Lightnin'" and delivered him his first hit Katie May.
This first disc contains this first hit and some more titles from this first recording session on November 9 1946 (tracks 4,5,6,7,8 and 9). Tracks 1,2,3,10,11,12 and 14 are also Thunder & Lightnin' recordings from LA. But this time from August 1947. The rest are Lightnin' recordings from Houston Texas and date from 1947 and 1948. All these recordings are Sam Lightnin' Hopkins originals except for tracks 2,4 and 8 (Wilson Smith) and track 11 (H. Whittaker).

2000 - Nothing But The Blues - disc 13 - West Coast Blues

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