Country Blues

1959 studio album by Lightnin' Hopkins

Country Blues

Studio album by

Lightnin' Hopkins

Released| 1959
Recorded| February 16 & 26, 1959
Studio| Houston, TX
Genre| Blues
Length| 42:07
Label| Tradition
TLP 1035
Producer| Mack McCormick
Lightnin' Hopkins chronology
| Lightnin' Hopkins
(1959)  | Country Blues
(1959)  | Autobiography in Blues
(1960)

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Country Blues is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in 1959 and released on the Tradition label.[1][2][3][4]

## Reception

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Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [5]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings| [6]

AllMusic reviewer Cub Koda stated: "In 1959, armed with nothing more than a single microphone mono tape recorder, folklorist Mack McCormick recorded Hopkins in an informal setting in hopes of catching some rough-edged performances that he felt were lacking from the bluesman's then-recent studio efforts. That he succeeded mightily is evidenced in this 15-song collection, almost casual in the way Lightnin' tosses off themes, lyrics, and emotion in a most cavalier fashion. ... here is Lightnin' truly in his element, playing for his friends and his own enjoyment, minus the commercial overlay of the times or the imposed 'folk blues' posturing of his later acoustic recordings. Not the place to start, but a real good place to visit along the way".[5] The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings awarded the album 3 stars, calling it a "satisfying example of Lightnin' in a private setting" and noting "the recording lends warmth to both voice and acoustic guitar".[6]

## Track listing

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All compositions by Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins except where noted

1. "Long Time" – 1:36
2. "Rainy Day Blues" – 3:06
3. "Baby!" – 3:05
4. "Long Gone Like a Turkey Through the Corn" – 3:41
5. "Prison Blues Come Down on Me" – 3:24
6. "Backwater Blues (That Mean Old Twister)" – 2:45
7. "Gonna Pull a Party" – 3:38
8. "Bluebird, Bluebird" – 1:29
9. "See See Rider" (Ma Rainey) – 3:10
10. "Worrying My Mind" – 3:27
11. "Til the Gin Gets Here" – 1:02
12. "Bunion Stew" – 1:55
13. "You Got to Work to Get Your Pay" – 2:30
14. "Go Down Old Hannah" – 3:30
15. "Hear My Black Dog Bark" – 3:49

## Personnel

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### Performance

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* Lightnin' Hopkins – guitar, vocals
* Luke 'Long Gone' Miles – vocal assistance (tracks 3 & 5)

### Production

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* Mack McCormick – supervision, engineer

## References

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1. ^ Tradition Records Discography: Original LP Releases accessed November 7, 2018
2. ^ Both Sides Now: Tradition Label Discography accessed November 7, 2018
3. ^ Wirz' American Music: Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins discography accessed November 7, 2018
4. ^ O'Brien, T. J. Lightnin' Album of the Week: Week 21 January 22, 2011 accessed November 7, 2018
5. ^ a b Coda, Cub. Lightnin' Hopkins: Country Blues – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
6. ^ a b Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. London: Penguin. p. 278\. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.

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Lightnin' Hopkins

Albums|

* Lightnin' Hopkins (1959)
* Country Blues (1959)
* Autobiography in Blues (1960)
* Down South Summit Meetin' (1960)
* Last Night Blues (1961)
* Lightnin' (1961)
* Lightnin' in New York (1961)
* Blues in My Bottle (1961)
* Mojo Hand (1962)
* Lightnin' Sam Hopkins (1962)
* Walkin' This Road by Myself (1962)
* Lightnin' and Co. (1962)
* Lightnin' Strikes (1962)
* Blues Hoot (1963)
* Smokes Like Lightning (1963)
* Goin' Away (1963)
* Hootin' the Blues (1964)
* Down Home Blues (1964)
* Soul Blues (1965)
* My Life in the Blues (1965)
* The King of the Blues (1965)
* Lightning Hopkins with His Brothers Joel and John Henry / with Barbara Dane (1966)
* Lightnin' Strikes (1966)
* Blue Lightnin' (1967)
* Something Blue (1967)
* Texas Blues Man (1968)
* Free Form Patterns (1968)
* Talkin' Some Sense (1968)
* The Great Electric Show and Dance (1969)
* California Mudslide (and Earthquake) (1969)
* Lightnin'! (1969)
* Lightning Hopkins in Berkeley (1972)
* The Swarthmore Concert (1993)
* Live at Newport (2002)
* In the Key of Lightnin' (2002)

Compilations|

* Lightnin' Hopkins Strums the Blues (1958)
* Last of the Great Blues Singers (1960)
* Lightnin' and the Blues (1960)
* Lightning Hopkins Sings the Blues (1961)
* Early Recordings (1965)
* Early Recordings Vol. 2 (1971)
* Po' Lightnin' (1983)

Related articles|

* Mojo Hand: The Life and Music of Lightnin' Hopkins

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