The Complete Aladdin Recordings (CD - 1991)

Recoded in Los Angeles, California & Houston, Texas in 1946-1948. Includes liner notes by Pete Welding.

Digitally remastered by Ron McMaster (Capitol Recording Studios, Hollywood,

California, September 1991).

Personnel: Lightnin' Hopkins (vocals, guitar, piano).

Liner Note Author: Pete Welding.

Recording information: Commercial Studios, Houston, TX (11/09/1946-02/25/1948); Quinn Studio, Houston, TX (11/09/1946-02/25/1948); Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA (11/09/1946-02/25/1948); Radio Records, L.A., CA (11/09/1946-02/25/1948).

Photographer: Geoff Spear.

This is where it all began for the Houston troubadour: 43 solo sides, as evocative and stark as any he ever did, from 1946-1948. The first 13 sides find the guitarist in tandem with pianist Wilson "Thunder" Smith (who handles the vocals on a few tracks), but after that, old Lightnin' Hopkins went the solo route. "Katie May," "Short Haired Woman," "Abilene," "Shotgun" -- all these and more rate with his seminal performances. ~ Bill Dahl

THE COMPLETE ALADDIN RECORDINGS collects all 43 of Lightnin' Hopkins' tracks for Aladdin, a Los Angeles-based label that was the first to record the legendary Texas bluesman. One might be amazed at how fully developed Hopkins' art appears here, until one realizes that he was already 35 years old and a fully developed musician in 1947, when the first of these sessions took place. From the very first cut, the now standard "Katie May," Hopkins' confidence and mastery are apparent throughout this essential two-disc set.

Hopkins recorded four sessions for Aladdin, two with a small ensemble and two later sessions as a solo performer. The ensemble recordings, which fill the first half of the first disc, are raw, gritty, and sensual: in other words, rock & roll for adults. "Short Haired Woman" and "Let Me Play With Your Poodle" are among the highlights. The latter portion of this set features Hopkins alone, a setting that shows off both his guitar prowess and his haunting vocals. "Shotgun" and "Abeline" are among the R&B hits recorded at these sessions. This set is a must for blues devotees. Newcomers to the genre might prefer MOJO HAND, a career retrospective on Rhino Records. minimize