Never released performances from the legendary blues guitarist solo at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles in 1966 and 1970, and with a band in 1971

 

Samuel John Hopkins was born in 1912 to a poor sharecropping family in Centerville, Texas. He immersed himself in the blues at an early age, having met Blind Lemon Jefferson at a church picnic not long after having struck out on his own. In 1946, Hopkins was discovered by Aladdin Records talent scout Lola Anne Cullum, who convinced him to travel to Los Angeles from Houston. There, he cut sides both as a solo artist and as part of a duo with pianist Wilson Smith. It was during his stint at Aladdin that he acquired his nickname, while his partner was dubbed Thunder. Shortly thereafter, Hopkins returned to Houston, his home base for the balance of his life.

The legendary blues guitarist performed at Los Angeles famed Ash Grove venue on many occasions over the club s decade-and-a-half existence. Ten of the selections on this set are compiled from two separate performances at the club, and none of the performances on the album have previously been available commercially. The album s A-side consists of acoustic tracks from a set recorded on November 29, 1970. The B-side collects a couple of acoustic performances from September 22, 1965, and the disc is rounded out with four electric tracks with his band from Palo Alto s In Your Ear club recorded on August 18, 1971. While most of the tunes are originals, the set lists include some distinctive cover versions of the R&B classics What I d Say and Hi-Heel Sneakers, along with some folk gospel nuggets, Don t The Moon Look Pretty and How Long Has It Been. Whether solo or with a band, Hopkins imprints all the tracks with his special electricity… you might call it Lightnin .