''When Lightn' Strikes'' is an album by Canadian guitarist Lenny Breau that was released in 1982. It was remastered and reissued in 2005 by Art of Life Records as ''Swingin' on a Seven-String''.
History
''When Lightn' Strikes'' was the last studio album Breau recorded before he was killed in 1984. It contains the only studio recordings of Breau on his seven-string guitar. Besides the seven-string, Breau also played classical guitar on the album. There are five duets with bassist Jim Ferguson. Breau and pedal steel player
Buddy Emmons
Buddy Gene Emmons (January 27, 1937 – July 21, 2015) was an American musician who is widely regarded as the world's foremost pedal steel guitarist of his day. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1981.
Affectionately known by ...
had previously recorded together on ''
Minors Aloud
''Minors Aloud'' (subtitled ''Buddy Emmons with Lenny Breau'') is an album by American pedal steel guitarist Buddy Emmons and Canadian guitarist Lenny Breau that was released in 1978.
Originally released on LP in 1982 by the small Tudor Records label, it had neither liner notes nor personnel listed. Tudor ceased business shortly after its release and it quickly went out of print. It was remastered and reissued in 2005 on the Art of Life Records label as ''Swingin' on a Seven-String'' with an altered track sequence and one bonus track. The reissue includes a booklet with liner notes by Ron Forbes-Roberts and notes by musicians Ferguson, Emmons, and
Kenny Malone
Kenny Malone (August 4, 1938 – August 26, 2021) was an American drummer and percussionist.
Life and career
Malone was born in Denver, Colorado. From the 1970s onwards, he was a prominent session musician in folk, country and many other acoustic ...
AllMusic
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 ...
, music critic Paul Kohler called the album "A lost gem!" In reviewing the reissue for '' JazzTimes'', critic Russell Carlson wrote "Breau created an ambiguous fusion of jazz and country on Swingin', nimbly ducking in and out of pedal-steel guitarist Buddy Emmons' syrupy, starlit melodies while coasting along with drummer Kenny Malone's and bassist Jim Ferguson's straightahead swing propulsion... Breau's mastery of an impressionistic Bill Evans style has him pulling ideas and emotion from country music that a pure honky-tonker could never realize." John Kelman of '' All About Jazz'' praised the album and called Breau "a bolt of lightning when he emerged in the '70s out of Manitoba, Canada". Of the album, Kelman wrote: "Breau may not have broken any turf in terms of pushing jazz out of the mainstream, but his interpretive skills and ability to retain a tune's essence while reimagining it in a pure jazz context remains evocative to this day. For those unfamiliar with Breau's magic, Swingin' on a Seven-String is a perfect place to start." Scott Yanow reviewed the reissue, giving it 4.5 of 5 stars and writing " It is a long-overdue joy to have this highly enjoyable music available again, and it is highly recommended to anyone at all interested in Lenny Breau's artistry."
Track listing
# "
Anytime Anytime may refer to:
* ''Anytime'' (Brian McKnight album), and the title song
* ''Anytime'' (Eddy Arnold album), 1956
* ''Anytime'', originally ''Slim Whitman Sings'' (1962 album)
* "Anytime" (1921 song), a popular song by Herbert "Happy" Laws ...
" (Herbert "Happy" Lawson) – 3:41
# "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You" (
Hank Williams
Hank Williams (born Hiram Williams; September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, he reco ...
Randy Goodrum
Charles Randolph Goodrum (born July 7, 1947) is an American songwriter, pianist, and producer. Goodrum has written number one songs in each of the four decades since his first number one hit, 1978's "You Needed Me".
Goodrum's songs have appeare ...
) – 3:20
# "She Thinks I Still Care" ( Dickey Lee) – 3:17
# "Please Release Me" (Eric Horton, Sean Peck) – 4:23
# "
Blue Moon Of Kentucky
"Blue Moon of Kentucky" is a waltz written in 1945 by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and recorded by his band, the Blue Grass Boys. The song has since been recorded by many artists, including Elvis Presley and Paul McCartney. "Blue Moon of Kentu ...
Pee Wee King
Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski (February 18, 1914 – March 7, 2000), known professionally as Pee Wee King, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist best known for co-writing "Tennessee Waltz".
Pee Wee King is credited with ...
,
Redd Stewart
Henry Ellis Stewart (May 27, 1923 – August 2, 2003), better known as Redd Stewart, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist who co-wrote "Tennessee Waltz" with Pee Wee King in 1948.
Biography
He was born in Ashland City ...
James F. Hanley
James Frederick Hanley (February 17, 1892 – February 8, 1942) was an American songwriter and author.
Biography
Hanley was born in Rensselaer, Indiana on February 17, 1892. He attended Champion College and the Chicago Musical College.
He serve ...
Buddy Emmons
Buddy Gene Emmons (January 27, 1937 – July 21, 2015) was an American musician who is widely regarded as the world's foremost pedal steel guitarist of his day. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1981.
Affectionately known by ...
– pedal steel guitar
* Jim Ferguson – bass
*
Kenny Malone
Kenny Malone (August 4, 1938 – August 26, 2021) was an American drummer and percussionist.
Life and career
Malone was born in Denver, Colorado. From the 1970s onwards, he was a prominent session musician in folk, country and many other acoustic ...