Lightnin' Hopkins
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Samuel John "Lightnin" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American
country blues Country blues (also folk blues, rural blues, backwoods blues, or downhome blues) is one of the earliest forms of blues music. The mainly solo vocal with acoustic fingerstyle guitar accompaniment developed in the rural Southern United States in t ...
singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist from
Centerville, Texas Centerville is a city in Leon County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 905 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Leon County. Centerville was so named as it is near the geographic center of Leon County. History Centerville ...
. In 2010, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' magazine ranked him No. 71 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. The
musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some m ...
Robert "Mack" McCormick Robert Burton "Mack" McCormick (August 3, 1930 – November 18, 2015) was an American musicologist and folklorist. Biography McCormick was born in 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was brought up by his mother, in Alabama, Colorado, West V ...
opined that Hopkins is "the embodiment of the jazz-and-poetry spirit, representing its ancient form in the single creator whose words and music are one act". He was a notable influence on
Townes Van Zandt John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter.
,
Hank Williams, Jr. Randall Hank Williams (born May 26, 1949), known professionally as Hank Williams Jr. or Bocephus, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of southern rock, blues, and country. He is the son of ...
, and a generation of blues musicians like Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose Grammy winning song "Rude Mood" was directly inspired by the Texan's song "Hopkins' Sky Hop."


Life

Hopkins was born in
Centerville, Texas Centerville is a city in Leon County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 905 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Leon County. Centerville was so named as it is near the geographic center of Leon County. History Centerville ...
. As a child, he was immersed in the sounds of the
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
. He developed a deep appreciation for the music at the age of 8, when he met Blind Lemon Jefferson at a church picnic in
Buffalo, Texas Buffalo is a city in Leon County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,767 at the 2020 census. Geography Buffalo is located at (31.461402, –96.063024). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , ...
.
Allmusic biography AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
/ref> He went on to learn from his distant older cousin, the country blues singer Alger "Texas" Alexander; Hopkins had another cousin, the Texas electric blues guitarist Frankie Lee Sims, with whom he later recorded. Hopkins began accompanying Jefferson on guitar at informal church gatherings. Jefferson reputedly never let anyone play with him except Hopkins, and Hopkins learned much from Jefferson at these gatherings. In the mid-1930s, Hopkins was sent to Houston County Prison Farm, but the offence for which he was imprisoned is unknown. In the late 1930s, he moved to Houston with Alexander in an unsuccessful attempt to break into the music scene there. By the early 1940s, he was back in Centerville, working as a farm hand. Hopkins took a second shot at Houston in 1946. While singing on Dowling Street in Houston's Third Ward, which would become his home base, he was discovered by Lola Anne Cullum of Aladdin Records, based in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. She convinced Hopkins to travel to Los Angeles, where he accompanied the pianist Wilson Smith. The duo recorded twelve tracks in their first sessions in 1946. An Aladdin executive decided the pair needed more dynamism in their names and dubbed Hopkins "Lightnin'" and Wilson "Thunder". Hopkins recorded more sides for Aladdin in 1947. He returned to Houston and began recording for
Gold Star Records Gold Star Records is an American independent record label, which was founded in 1941. Gold Star Recording Company and Gold Star Sound Services Gold Star Recording Company originated as a recording studio in Houston, Texas, and was founded i ...
. In the late 1940s and 1950s he rarely performed outside Texas, only occasionally traveling to the Midwest and the
East East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
for recording sessions and concert appearances. It has been estimated that he recorded between eight hundred and a thousand songs in his career. He performed regularly at nightclubs in and around Houston, particularly on Dowling Street, where he had been discovered by Aladdin. He recorded the
hit record A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...
s "T-Model Blues" and "Tim Moore's Farm" at
SugarHill Recording Studios SugarHill Recording Studios is a recording studio in Houston, Texas. The studio was important in launching the careers of such artists as Lightnin' Hopkins, The Big Bopper, George Jones, the Sir Douglas Quintet, Roy Head, and Freddy Fender. It is ...
in Houston. By the mid- to late 1950s, his prodigious output of high-quality recordings had gained him a following among
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
s and blues aficionados. In 1959, the blues researcher
Robert "Mack" McCormick Robert Burton "Mack" McCormick (August 3, 1930 – November 18, 2015) was an American musicologist and folklorist. Biography McCormick was born in 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was brought up by his mother, in Alabama, Colorado, West V ...
contacted Hopkins, hoping to bring him to the attention of a broader musical audience engaged in the
folk revival The American folk music revival began during the 1940s and peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s. Its roots went earlier, and performers like Josh White, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Big Bill Broonzy, Billie Holiday, Richard Dyer-Benn ...
. McCormack presented Hopkins to integrated audiences first in Houston and then in
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. He made his debut at Carnegie Hall on October 14, 1960, alongside
Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...
and
Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notably ...
, performing the spiritual "
Mary Don't You Weep "Mary Don't You Weep" (alternately titled "O Mary Don't You Weep", "Oh Mary, Don't You Weep, Don't You Mourn", or variations thereof) is a Spiritual that originates from before the American Civil War – thus it is what scholars call a "slave son ...
". In 1960, he signed with
Tradition Records Tradition Records was an American record label from 1955 to 1966 that specialized in folk music. The label was founded and financed by Guggenheim heiress Diane Hamilton in 1956. Its president and director was Patrick "Paddy" Clancy, who was soon ...
. The recordings which followed included his song "
Mojo Hand ''Mojo Hand'' is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in 1960 and released on the Fire label in 1962.O'Brien, T. JLightnin' Album of the Week: Week 11 – November 13, 2010accessed November 8, 2018 Reception AllMusic revie ...
" in 1960. In 1968, Hopkins recorded the album ''Free Form Patterns'', backed by the rhythm section of the psychedelic rock band 13th Floor Elevators. Through the 1960s and into the 1970s, he released one or sometimes two albums a year and toured, playing at major
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
festivals and at folk clubs and on college campuses in the U.S. and internationally. He toured extensively in the United States and played a six-city tour of Japan in 1978. Hopkins was Houston's poet-in-residence for 35 years. He recorded more albums than any other blues musician. A statue of Hopkins sits in
Crockett, Texas Crockett is a city and the county seat of Houston County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city population was 6,332. Houston County is the oldest county and Crockett the fifth-oldest city in Texas. His ...
. Hopkins died of esophageal cancer in Houston on January 30, 1982, at the age of 69. His obituary in the ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' described him as "one of the great country blues singers and perhaps the greatest single influence on rock guitar players." His Gibson J-160e "hollowbox" is on display at the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and his Guild Starfire at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, both on loan from the Joe Kessler collection.


Musical style

Hopkins's style was born from spending many hours playing informally without a backing band. His distinctive
fingerstyle Fingerstyle guitar is the technique of playing the guitar or bass guitar by plucking the strings directly with the fingertips, fingernails, or picks attached to fingers, as opposed to flatpicking (plucking individual notes with a single plect ...
technique often included playing, in effect, bass,
rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...
,
lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...
, and
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Ex ...
at the same time. He played both "alternating" and "monotonic" bass styles incorporating imaginative, often chromatic turnarounds and single-note lead lines. Tapping or slapping the body of his guitar added rhythmic accompaniment. Much of Hopkins's music follows the standard 12-bar blues template, but his phrasing was free and loose. Many of his songs were in the
talking blues Talking blues is a form of folk music and country music. It is characterized by rhythmic speech or near-speech where the melody is free, but the rhythm is strict. Christopher Allen Bouchillon, billed as "The Talking Comedian of the South", is cr ...
style, but he was a powerful and confident singer. Lyrically, his songs expressed the problems of life in the segregated South, bad luck in love and other subjects common in the blues idiom. He dealt with these subjects with humor and good nature. He often referred to himself as "Poor Lightnin'" in his songs when talking about himself or referring to himself as the protagonist of the song. This is also the name of one of his albums. Many of his songs are filled with
double entendre A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...
s, and he was known for his humorous introductions to songs. Some of his songs were of warning and sour prediction, such as "Fast Life Woman":


Discography


Early compilations of previously issued material

*'' Early Recordings'' ( Arhoolie, 1946-50
969 Year 969 ( CMLXIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 969th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 969th year of the 1st millennium, the 69th ...
- collection of Gold Star recordings *'' Early Recordings Vol. 2'' (Arhoolie, 1946-50
971 Year 971 ( CMLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Battle of Dorostolon: A Byzantine expeditionary army (possibly 30–40,000 men) ...
- collection of Gold Star releases *''
Lightnin' Hopkins Strums the Blues ''Lightnin' Hopkins Strums the Blues'' is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins featuring tracks recorded between 1946 and 1948 which were originally released as 10-inch 78rpm records on the Aladdin Records, Aladdin label.O'Brien, T. JLig ...
'' ( Score, 1946-48
958 Year 958 ( CMLVIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * October / November – Battle of Raban: The Byzantines under John Tzimiskes ...
- collection of Aladdin releases *''
Lightning Hopkins Sings the Blues ''Lightning Hopkins Sings the Blues'', also released as ''Original Folk Blues'', is a 12-inch LP album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins collecting tracks recorded between 1947 and 1951 that were originally released as 10-inch 78rpm records on ...
'' (
Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...
, 1947-1951
961 Year 961 (Roman numerals, CMLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * March 6 – Siege of Chandax: Byzantine forces under Nikephoro ...
- collection of
RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
releases *''
Last of the Great Blues Singers ''Last of the Great Blues Singers'', also released as ''Vol. 1 Blues / Folk Series'', ''The Blues'' and ''Blues Train'', is a 12-inch LP album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins featuring tracks recorded between 1951 and 1953 that were originall ...
'' (Time, 1950-51
960 Year 960 ( CMLX) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Siege of Chandax: A Byzantine fleet with an expeditionary force (co ...
- collection of Sittin' in With releases *'' Lightnin' and the Blues'' (
Herald A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms. Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to ...
, 1954
960 Year 960 ( CMLX) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Siege of Chandax: A Byzantine fleet with an expeditionary force (co ...
- collection of
Herald A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms. Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to ...
releases *''Blues Masters: The Very Best Of Lightnin' Hopkins'' (Rhino, 2000) - later collection.


Original LP releases

*'' The Rooster Crowed in England'' (77, 1959
960 Year 960 ( CMLX) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Siege of Chandax: A Byzantine fleet with an expeditionary force (co ...
*''
Lightnin' Hopkins Samuel John "Lightnin" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist from Centerville, Texas. In 2010, ''Rolling Stone'' magazine ranked him No. 71 on its list ...
'' ( Folkways, 1959) - reissued as ''The Roots of Lightnin' Hopkins'' *''
Country Blues Country blues (also folk blues, rural blues, backwoods blues, or downhome blues) is one of the earliest forms of blues music. The mainly solo vocal with acoustic fingerstyle guitar accompaniment developed in the rural Southern United States in t ...
'' (
Tradition A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
, 1959) *'' Autobiography in Blues'' (Tradition, 1960) *''
Down South Summit Meetin' ''Down South Summit Meetin (also released as ''First Meetin' '' and ''Lightnin' Hopkins & The Blues Summit'') is an album by the blues musicians Brownie McGhee, Lightnin' Hopkins, Big Joe Williams and Sonny Terry, recorded in 1960 and released on ...
'' (
World Pacific Pacific Jazz Records was a Los Angeles-based record company and label best known for cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded in 1952 by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988) and drummer Roy Harte (1924–2003). Harte, in 1954, also co-founded ...
, 1960) with
Brownie McGhee Walter Brown "Brownie" McGhee (November 30, 1915 – February 16, 1996) was an American folk music and Piedmont blues singer and guitarist, best known for his collaboration with the harmonica player Sonny Terry. Life and career McGhee was ...
, Big Joe Williams and Sonny Terry - reissued as ''Summit Meetin' '' *''
Last Night Blues ''Last Night Blues'' is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, with Sonny Terry, recorded in 1960 and released on the Bluesville label the following year.Bluesville, 1960) with Sonny Terry *'' Lightnin''' (Bluesville, 1960) *''
Lightnin' in New York ''Lightnin' in New York'' is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in 1960 and released on the Candid label the following year.O'Brien, T. JLightnin' Album of the Week: Week 23 February 12, 2011accessed November 7, 2018 Re ...
'' ( Candid, 1960) *''
Mojo Hand ''Mojo Hand'' is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in 1960 and released on the Fire label in 1962.O'Brien, T. JLightnin' Album of the Week: Week 11 – November 13, 2010accessed November 8, 2018 Reception AllMusic revie ...
'' (
Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...
, 1960
962 Year 962 ( CMLXII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * December – Arab–Byzantine wars – Sack of Aleppo: A Byzantine e ...
*''
Blues in My Bottle ''Blues in My Bottle'' is an album by Lightnin' Hopkins, released in 1961 on Bluesville Records.
'' (Bluesville, 1961) *''
Blues Hoot ''Blues Hoot'' (also released as ''Coffee House Blues'') is a live album by blues musicians Lightnin' Hopkins, Brownie McGhee, and Sonny Terry recorded at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles in 1961 and originally released on the Davon label before be ...
'' ( Horizon, 1961
963 Year 963 ( CMLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * March 15 – Emperor Romanos II dies at age 25, probably of poison admini ...
with Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry - reissued as ''Coffee House Blues'' *'' On Stage'' (
Imperial Records Imperial Records is an American record company and label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd. The label was reactivated in 2006 by EMI, which owned the label and back catalogue at the time. Imperial is owned by Universal Music Group. Early years to ...
,
962 Year 962 ( CMLXII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * December – Arab–Byzantine wars – Sack of Aleppo: A Byzantine e ...
reissued Dolchess 2013 *''
Lightnin' Sam Hopkins ''Lightnin' Sam Hopkins'' is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in California in late 1961 and Texas in early 1962 and released on the Arhoolie label.Walkin' This Road by Myself'' (Bluesville, 1962) *'' Lightnin' and Co.'' (Bluesville, 1962) *''
Smokes Like Lightning ''Smokes Like Lightning'' is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in Texas in 1962 and released on the Bluesville label the following year.963 Year 963 ( CMLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * March 15 – Emperor Romanos II dies at age 25, probably of poison admini ...
*''
Lightnin' Strikes "Lightnin' Strikes" is a song written by Lou Christie and Twyla Herbert, and recorded by Christie on the MGM label. It was a hit in 1966, making it first to No. 1 in Canada in January 1966 on the '' RPM'' Top Singles chart, then to No. 1 in th ...
'' (
Vee-Jay Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The label was founded in Gary, Indiana in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a ...
, 1962) *''
Hootin' the Blues ''Hootin' the Blues'' is a live album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in Philadelphia in 1962 and released on the Prestige Folklore label in 1964.Prestige Folklore, 1962 965 *'' Goin' Away'' (Bluesville, 1963) *''
The Swarthmore Concert ''The Swarthmore Concert'', subtitled ''King of the Blues'', is a live album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded at the Swarthmore College Folk Festival in 1965. It was originally released as part of the seven-CD box set ''Lightnin ...
'' (Prestige, 1964
993 Year 993 ( CMXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – The 12-year-old King Otto III gives the Sword of Saints Cosmas and Damian ...
*'' Down Home Blues'' (Bluesville, 1964) *''
Soul Blues Soul blues is a style of blues music developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s that combines elements of soul music and urban contemporary music. Origin African American singers and musicians who grew up listening to the electric blues by ar ...
'' (
Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...
, 1964 965 *''
Lightning Hopkins with His Brothers Joel and John Henry / with Barbara Dane ''Lightning Hopkins with His Brothers Joel and John Henry / with Barbara Dane'' is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in Texas and California in 1964 and released on the Arhoolie label. The original album was split with one si ...
'' (Arhoolie, 1964 966 *''
My Life in the Blues ''My Life in the Blues'' is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in late 1964 and released on the Prestige Records, Prestige label the following year.
'' (Prestige, 1964 965 *'' Live at the Bird Lounge'' (Guest Star, 1964) *''
The King of the Blues ''The King of the Blues'' is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in Texas in late 1964 and released on the Pickwick/33 label. The album was also released as ''Let's Work Awhile'' on Blue Horizon in 1971.Pickwick, 1965) - reissued as ''Let's Work Awhile'' *''
Blue Lightnin' ''Blue Lightnin is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in Texas in 1965 and released on Stan Lewis (record label owner), Stan Lewis' Jewel Records (Shreveport record label), Jewel Records label in 1967.Jewel, 1965 967 *'' Live at Newport'' (
Vanguard The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. History The vanguard derives fr ...
, 1965
002 002, 0O2, O02, OO2, or 002 may refer to: Fiction *002, fictional British 00 Agent *''002 Operazione Luna'', *1965 Italian film *Zero Two, a ''Darling in the Franxx'' character Airports *0O2, Baker Airport *O02, Nervino Airport Astronomy *1996 ...
*''
Lightnin' Strikes "Lightnin' Strikes" is a song written by Lou Christie and Twyla Herbert, and recorded by Christie on the MGM label. It was a hit in 1966, making it first to No. 1 in Canada in January 1966 on the '' RPM'' Top Singles chart, then to No. 1 in th ...
'' (
Verve Folkways Verve Forecast is a record label formed as a division of Verve Records to concentrate on pop, rock, and folk music. Founding Jerry Schoenbaum of Verve and Moe Asch of Folkways created Verve Folkways in 1964 to take advantage of the popularity ...
, 1965 966 - reissued as ''Nothin' But the Blues'' *'' Something Blue'' (
Verve Folkways Verve Forecast is a record label formed as a division of Verve Records to concentrate on pop, rock, and folk music. Founding Jerry Schoenbaum of Verve and Moe Asch of Folkways created Verve Folkways in 1964 to take advantage of the popularity ...
, 1967) *''Thats My Story'' (
Polydor Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States ...
, 1965
970 Year 970 ( CMLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 970th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' designations, the 970th year of the 1st millennium, the 70th yea ...
*''Blues Festival Song & Dance'' (Arhoolie, 1967) shared disc with
Mance Lipscomb Mance Lipscomb (April 9, 1895 – January 30, 1976) was an American blues singer, guitarist and songster. He was born Beau De Glen Lipscomb near Navasota, Texas. As a youth he took the name Mance (short for ''emancipation'') from a friend of hi ...
and
Clifton Chenier Clifton Chenier (June 25, 1925 – December 12, 1987), was an American Creole musician known as a pioneer of zydeco, a style of music which arose from Creole music, with R&B, blues, and Cajun influences. He sang and played the accordion and w ...
*''
Texas Blues Man ''Texas Blues Man'' is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in Texas in late 1967 and released on the Arhoolie label.Free Form Patterns ''Free Form Patterns'' (also released as ''Reflections'') is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins backed by the rhythm section of the 13th Floor Elevators, recorded in Texas in 1968 and released on the International Artists label.
'' (
International Artists International Artists (IA) was an American independent record label based in Houston, Texas, United States, that originally existed from 1965 to 1970. It is not to be confused with International Artists Records, a classical music record label foun ...
, 1968) *'' Talkin' Some Sense'' (Jewel, 1968) *'' Lightnin' Hopkins Strikes Again'' (Home Cooking, 1968
975 Year 975 ( CMLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor John I raids Mesopotamia and invades Syria, using ...
*''
The Great Electric Show and Dance ''The Great Electric Show and Dance'' is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in Texas and released on Stan Lewis' Jewel Records label in 1969.
'' (Jewel, 1969) *''
California Mudslide (and Earthquake) ''California Mudslide (and Earthquake)'', also reissued as ''Los Angeles Blues'', is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in California in 1969 and released on the Vault label.Lightnin'! ''Lightnin'!'' is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in California in 1969 and released on the Poppy label as a double LP. Copyright dispute Poppy Records failed to meet the terms of its agreement and, in 1972, Chris Strach ...
'' (Poppy, 1969) - rereleased on Arhoolie in 1993 *'' In the Key of Lightnin''' (
Tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...
, 1969
002 002, 0O2, O02, OO2, or 002 may refer to: Fiction *002, fictional British 00 Agent *''002 Operazione Luna'', *1965 Italian film *Zero Two, a ''Darling in the Franxx'' character Airports *0O2, Baker Airport *O02, Nervino Airport Astronomy *1996 ...
*'' Lightning Hopkins in Berkeley'' (Arhoolie, 1969
970 Year 970 ( CMLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 970th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' designations, the 970th year of the 1st millennium, the 70th yea ...
*'' Po' Lightnin''' (Arhoolie, 1961/69
983 Year 983 ( CMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Diet of Verona: Emperor Otto II (the Red) declares war against the Byza ...
*''The Legacy of the Blues Vol. 12'' (
Sonet Synchronous optical networking (SONET) and synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) are standardized protocols that transfer multiple digital bit streams synchronously over optical fiber using lasers or highly coherent light from light-emitting diode ...
, 1974 977 *''New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 1976'' (
Island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
, 1977) shared disc with various artists *''The Rising Sun Collection Vol. 9'' (Just a Memory, 1977
996 Year 996 ( CMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Japan * February - Chotoku Incident: Fujiwara no Korechika and Takaie shoot an arrow at Retired Em ...
*''Mighty Crazy'' (Catfish, 1980
002 002, 0O2, O02, OO2, or 002 may refer to: Fiction *002, fictional British 00 Agent *''002 Operazione Luna'', *1965 Italian film *Zero Two, a ''Darling in the Franxx'' character Airports *0O2, Baker Airport *O02, Nervino Airport Astronomy *1996 ...
shared disc with Big Mama Thornton *''The Rising Sun Collection'' (Just a Memory, 1980
996 Year 996 ( CMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Japan * February - Chotoku Incident: Fujiwara no Korechika and Takaie shoot an arrow at Retired Em ...
shared disc with
Louisiana Red Iverson Minter (March 23, 1932 – February 25, 2012), known as Louisiana Red, was an American blues guitarist, harmonica player, and singer, who recorded more than 50 albums. He was best known for his song "Sweet Blood Call". Biography Born ...
, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee *''Forever'' (Paris Album, 1981
983 Year 983 ( CMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Diet of Verona: Emperor Otto II (the Red) declares war against the Byza ...


As sideman

With Sonny Terry With
George "Wild Child" Butler George "Wild Child" Butler (October 1, 1936 – March 1, 2005) was an American blues harmonica player, and vocalist. Career Butler was born October 1, 1936, in Autaugaville, Alabama, and began playing blues music in bands in the late 1950s, but ...
*'' Sonny Is King'' (Bluesville, 1963)


Films

*''The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins'' (1968), directed by
Les Blank Les Blank (November 27, 1935 – April 7, 2013) was an American documentary filmmaker best known for his portraits of American traditional musicians. Life and career Leslie Harrod Blank Jr. was born November 27, 1935 in Tampa, Florida. He atten ...
and Skip Gerson (Flower Films & Video) * ''The Sun's Gonna Shine'' (1969), directed by Les Blank with Skip Gerson (Flower Films & Video) * '' Sounder'' (1972), directed by Martin Ritt (the soundtrack includes Hopkins singing "Jesus Will You Come by Here") *, a
film documentary A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...
on Hopkins, ''Where Lightnin' Strikes'', was in production with Fastcut Films of Houston. * His song "Once a Gambler" is on the soundtrack of the 2009 film ''
Crazy Heart ''Crazy Heart'' is a 2009 American drama film, written and directed by Scott Cooper, in his feature directorial debut. Based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Thomas Cobb, the film centers on a down-and-out country music singer-songwriter ( ...
''.


Books

* ''Mojo Hand: An Orphic Tale'', by J.J. Phillips (Serpent's Tail) * ''Lightnin’ Hopkins: Blues Guitar Legend'', by Dan Bowden * ''Deep Down Hard Blues: Tribute to Lightnin, by Sarah Ann West * ''Lightnin' Hopkins: His Life and Blues'', by Alan Govenar (Chicago Review Press) * '' Mojo Hand: The Life and Music of Lightnin' Hopkins'', by Timothy J. O'Brien and David Ensminger (
University of Texas Press The University of Texas Press (or UT Press) is a university press that is part of the University of Texas at Austin. Established in 1950, the Press publishes scholarly books and journals in several areas, including Latin American studies, Texan ...
)


See also

*
List of blues musicians Blues musicians are musical artists who are primarily recognized as writing, performing, and recording blues music. They come from different eras and include styles such as ragtime-vaudeville, Delta and country blues, and urban styles from Chic ...
*
Texas blues Texas blues is blues music from Texas. As a regional style, its original form was characterized by jazz and swing influences. Later examples are often closer to blues rock and Southern rock. History Texas blues began to appear in the early 1900s ...
* Six Strings Down


References

;Inline citations ;Further reading *Stambler, Irwin; Landon, Grellun (1983). ''The Encyclopedia of Folk, Country & Western Music'' (2nd ed.). St. Martin's Press. . *Liner notes to the CD ''Country Blues'', Ryko/
Tradition Records Tradition Records was an American record label from 1955 to 1966 that specialized in folk music. The label was founded and financed by Guggenheim heiress Diane Hamilton in 1956. Its president and director was Patrick "Paddy" Clancy, who was soon ...
.


External links


Blues Foundation Hall of Fame Induction, 1980


* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080517093902/http://www.bigroadblues.com/features/lightnin.shtml Hopkins feature on Big Road Blues
Campstreetcafe.com
Accessed December 25, 2007. * *
''Where Lightnin Strikes''
(documentary film)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hopkins, Lightnin 1912 births 1982 deaths People from Leon County, Texas American blues guitarists American male guitarists American blues singer-songwriters Country blues singers Blues revival musicians Texas blues musicians Musicians from Houston Aladdin Records artists Modern Records artists RPM Records (United States) artists Gold Star Records artists Imperial Records artists Jewel Records artists Fire Records artists Deaths from cancer in Texas Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners 20th-century American guitarists Singer-songwriters from Texas Guitarists from Texas American acoustic guitarists Arhoolie Records artists African-American male singer-songwriters African-American guitarists 20th-century African-American male singers Deaths from esophageal cancer