300 copies limited!
A masterclass in raw, intimate electric blues, this release is as immediate and powerful as Muddy Waters' revered Real Folk Blues LP.
Limited to 300 copies, the album delivers a pure dose of Lightnin Hopkins at his most unfilteredso vivid, it feels like youre right there in the studio with him, sharing a drink. In April 1969, Lightnin laid down a set of recordings at Houstons ACA Recording Studio for the Clarity Music Company. These sessions included both fresh originals and powerful reinterpretations of earlier classics, including a scorching version of the legendary Mojo Hand.
Over the years, some of these tracks were released in altered formremixed with boosted bass and drums, subdued guitar work, and added reverb. For the first time ever, this edition presents the original four-track masters, faithfully transferred and mixed with no studio manipulation.
While Lightnin Hopkins discography has been widely studied, the precise details of the Clarity Music session have long remained unclear. Thanks to the rediscovery of original log sheets and contracts, we now know that these tracks were recorded on April 11, 1969.
A standout on this release is the blistering take on Mojo Handan electrified rendition of one of Lightnins most iconic songs, originally released as the title track of his 1962 album.
Hopkins guitar work here is absolutely incendiaryshootin fire, as he might say. The mood deepens with stark themes of hardship in tracks like My Baby Aint Got No Shoes and My Baby Was Crying for Bread. He channels maternal grief and historical tragedy in the haunting December 7, 1941, his reflection on the Pearl Harbor attack. A gentler, more tender side emerges in the romantic ballad My Little Darling.
Altogether, this release captures Lightnin Hopkins at a creative peakunvarnished, emotionally charged, and unforgettable.
vol. 1 : clarity music sessions - april 1969