A1 	Automobile Blues 	
A2 	You Better Watch Yourself 	
A3 	Mean Old Frisco 	
A4 	Shinin' Moon 	
A5 	Come Back Baby 	
B1 	Thinkin' 'Bout An Old Friend 	
B2 	The Walkin' Blues 	
B3 	Back To New Orleans 	
B4 	Katie Mae 	
B5 	Down There Baby

Bass – Leonard Gaskin
Design – Don Schlitten
Drums – Belton Evans
Guitar, Vocals – Lightnin' Hopkins 

Recorded for Prestige's Bluesville subsidiary in 1960 and reissued on CD for Fantasy's Original Blues Classics (OBC) series in 1990, Lightnin' is among the rewarding acoustic dates Lightnin' Hopkins delivered in the early '60s. The session has an informal, relaxed quality, and this approach serves a 48-year-old Hopkins impressively well on both originals like "Thinkin' 'Bout an Old Friend" and the familiar "Katie Mae" and enjoyable interpretations of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee's "Back to New Orleans" and Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "Mean Old Frisco." Hopkins' only accompaniment consists of bassist Leonard Gaskin and drummer Belton Evans, both of whom play in an understated fashion and do their part to make this intimate setting successful. From the remorseful "Come Back Baby" to more lighthearted, fun numbers like "You Better Watch Yourself" and "Automobile Blues," Lightnin' is a lot like being in a small club with Hopkins as he shares his experiences, insights and humor with you. ---Alex Henderson, AllMusic Review

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1 	Hello Central 	2:57
2 	Coffee Blues 	3:41
3 	Long Way From Texas 	3:01
4 	Mad As I Can Be 	3:10
5 	New Short-Haired Woman 	2:59
6 	Gotta Move 	2:39
7 	Everybody's Down On Me 	2:59
8 	Freight Train 	2:47
9 	Prayin' Ground Blues 	2:57
10 	Don't Think I'm Crazy 	2:47
11 	Dirty House Blues 	2:59
12 	Everything Happens To Me 	2:39
13 	I Wonder Why 	2:29
14 	Buck Dance Boogie 	2:32
15 	Mad As I Can Be (Alternate Unreleased Take) 	3:11

Lightnin' Hopkins - Guitar, Piano, Vocals 

Compilation of Sittin' In With/Jax material.

"This album was recorded at the peak of Lightning Hopkins' career in 1950/1951. It includes his two biggest hits 'Hello Central' and 'Coffee Blues' as well as thirteen other tracks taken directly from the original analog tapes." ---discogs.com

Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins learned the blues from Blind Lemon Jefferson in the Twenties. He was a ferocious electric stylist in the Fifties, though he's perhaps best known for his nimble acoustic fingerpicking during the Sixties folk-blues revival. As unpredictable as John Lee Hooker, he seemed to be making it up as he went along, and often was. ---rollingstone.com

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A1 	Hold Up Your Hand 	
A2 	My Starter Won't Start This Morning 	
A3 	What'd I Say 	
A4 	One Kind Favor 	
A5 	Baby Please Don't Go 	
B1 	Trouble In Mind 	
B2 	Annie's Blues 	
B3 	Baby 	
B4 	Little And Low 	
B5 	I Hear You Calling 	
C1 	Mojo Hand Part 1 	
C2 	Mojo Hand Part 2 	
C3 	Have You Ever Had A Woman 	
C4 	Ain't It Crazy 	
C5 	Black And Evil 	
D1 	Rock Me Baby 	
D2 	Hello Central 	
D3 	Back Door Friend 	
D4 	Little Girl, Little Girl 	
D5 	It's Better Down The Road

Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins was one of the most influential musicians in modern day blues music. Born and raised in Texas, Hopkins lived early life as a rambler, playing music for most of his career on street corners and in local bars. As blues and folk music took the world by storm in the early 1960s, Hopkins became famous for his contributions, having recorded a number of widely popular albums and gaining a worldwide fan base. His music changed the way the world viewed blues music. --- highbeam.com

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1 	Life I Used To Live 	2:53
2 	My Little Kewpie Doll 	2:26
3 	Sittin' Down Thinkin' 	2:48
4 	My Baby's Gone 	2:50
5 	Hear Me Talkin' 	2:19
6 	Don't Think Cause You're Pretty 	2:45
7 	Nothin' But The Blues 	2:28
8 	Hopkins' Sky Hop 	2:18
9 	Lightnin's Boogie 	2:40
10 	Lightnin's Stomp 	2:44
11 	Blues For My Cookie 	2:32
12 	Evil Hearted Woman 	2:44

Lightnin' Hopkins – guitar, vocals

In 1920, Hopkins met the legendary Blind Lemon Jefferson at a social function and got a chance to play with him.

His cousin was Texas Alexander. While they were playing together in Houston in 1946, he was discovered by Lola Anne Cullum of Los Angeles' Aladdin Records. Hopkins first recorded with pianist Wilson Smith and the pair were dubbed 'Lightning' & 'Thunder' to add some dynamic to their marketing.

Strong recordings followed from Hopkins, such as his song "Mojo Hand" (1960). He later inspired many artists such as Jimmie Vaughan, Townes Van Zandt and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan. --- discogs.com

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1. Let's Go Sit On the Lawn 4:17
2. I'm Taking A Devil of a Chance 3:56
3. I Got Tired 4:40
4. I Asked The Bossman 6:46
5. Just A Wristwatch On My Arm 3:38
6. I Woke Up This Morning 5:55
7. I Was Standing on 75 Highway 5:14
8. I'm Going To Build Me a Heaven of My Own 5:59
9. My Babe 3:23
10. Too Many Drivers 3:32
11. I'm A Crawling Black Snake 4:51
12. Rocky Mountain Blues 3:54
13. I Mean Goodbye 3:03
14. The Howling Wolf 3:57
15. Black Ghost Blues 3:34
16. Darling, Do You Remember Me? 3:43
17. Lonesome Graveyard 5:30

Lightnin' Hopkins - Guitar,Vocals
Leonard Gaskin - Bass
Herbie Lovelle – Drums

Recorded May 4-5, 1964

Lightnin' Hopkins' plaintive, soft-rolling blues style is exemplified on "Let's Go Sit on the Lawn," "Just a Wristwatch on My Arm," "I'm a Crawling Black Snake," Willie Dixon's "My Babe," and others. Accompanied only by himself on guitar (and oh what a guitar he plays), Leonard Gaskin (bass), and Herb Lovelle (drums), Hopkins' seductive, intricate guitar picks and strums will dance around in your head long after this CD has played. His voice, which sounds like it's aged in Camels and Jim Beam, conveys his heartfelt sagas to the fullest. A prolific songwriter, Hopkins wrote every song except the Dixon tune. ---Andrew Hamilton, allmusic.com

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1. Contrary Mary (2:42)
2. Why Did You Get Mad at Me? (2:52)
3. Down to the River (2:57)
4. I'm Beggin' You (2:38)
5. Bald Headed Woman (2:56)
6. Back Home Boogie (3:10)
7. New York Boogie (2:49)
8. Broken Hearted Blues (3:49)
9. Long Way From Texas (3:03)
10. My Heart to Weep (2:35)
11. Tap Dance Boogie (2:38)
12. Home in the Woods (2:52)
13. So Sorry (2:43)
14. Fannie Mae (2:41)
15. Cemetery Blues (3:10)
16. Happy New Year (3:14)

Lightnin' Hopkins - Guitar, Vocals
Donald Cooks - Bass
Connie Kroll - Drums
L.C. Williams – Vocals

The second installment of Sittin' in With masters, some with bassist Donald Cooks and drummer Connie Kroll providing rock-solid support (L.C. Williams takes over as vocalist for two cuts). Supple boogies and dusty rural blues, all woven expertly by the Texas guitarist. ---Bill Dahl, allmusic.com

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01. I'm Going To Build Me A Heaven Of My Own
02. My Babe
03. Too Many Drivers
04. I'm A Crawling Black Snake
05. Rocky Mountain Blues
06. I Mean Goodbye
07. The Howling Wolf
08. Black Ghost Blues
09. Darling, Do You Remember Me
10. Lonesome Graveyard

Lightnin' Hopkins (vocals, guitar); 
Leonard Gaskin (bass); 
Herbie Lovelle (drums).

A true poet of the blues, Lightnin' Hopkins was a master of tall, tongue-in-cheek tales, often made up on the spot in the recording studio. The first song on this album, "I'm Going to Build Me a Heaven of My Own," adescribes an encounter with a bearded man claiming to be Jesus Christ. Hopkins also puts his personal stamp on Willie Dixon's "My Babe" and Smokey Hogg's "Too Many Drivers," among others. --- Roundup Newsletter

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01 Hello Central (Give me 209)
02 Mary Contrary
03 Bald Headed Woman
04 One Kind Favor (See that my Grave is Kept Clean)
05 I Wonder Why
06 Tap Dance Boogie
07 Down to the River
08 New Short-Haired Women
09 Broken Hearted Blues
10 New York Boogie
11 Long Way from Texas
12 Mad as I can Be (previously unissued take)
13 I'm Beggin' You
14 Why Did You Get Mad at Me
15 Home in the Woods
16 Praying Ground Blues
17 Back Home Boogie
18 Studio Chatter / My Heart to Weep
19 Everybody Down on Me
20 New Worried Like Blues
21 I'll Never Forget the Day (first modern release)

Lightnin' Hopkins - Composer, Guitar, Vocals
Donald Cooks -	Bass

These are the 1950-52 recordings done for "Sittin In With" and "Jax" labels. Strong song selection and excellent sound. Compiled and remastering was done by Steve Hoffman.

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1. Katie Mae
2. Shotgun Blues
3. Baby Please Don't Go
4. Automobile Blues
5. Give Me Central 209 (Hello Central)
6. Coffee Blues
7. I'm Beggin' You
8. Contrary Mary
9. Moanin' Blues
10. Penitentiary Blues
11. Fan It
12. Conversation Blues
13. Last Night Blues
14. Mighty Crazy
15. Mojo Hand
16. Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes

Lightnin' Hopkins – guitar, vocals
Sonny Terry – harmonica, vocals
Thunder Smith – piano
Joel Hopkins – guitar
Leonard Gaskin – bass
Donald Cooks – bass
Belton Evans – drums

Pruning 16 tracks from Hopkins' extensive catalog for a best-of meant that some hard choices had to be made. The ones Rhino came up with won't satisfy everyone, but the label did take the correct road by sticking exclusively to the earliest part of his career, 1947-61. Perhaps the decision will offend some fans who feel that his 1960s and '70s work should be represented, but two things should be acknowledged. First, Hopkins, as is the case with most artists, did his most interesting recordings in the earlier part of his career. Second, as is the case with many blues artists, he did not vary his approach substantially throughout the decades. So what you have is a good assortment of his first 15 years on disc, taken from about ten labels, including both originals and covers, and placing the singer/guitarist in various instrumental contexts: with a full electric band (Sonny Terry is on a couple of 1961 cuts), as a solo guitarist, or accompanied by nothing more than a bass or additional guitarist. It's a good deal for those who want only one Hopkins disc, and for those who want a best-of that's more extensive, there's Rhino's own two-disc anthology, Mojo Hand. --- Richie Unterberger, allmusic.com

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CD1
01 - Katie May
02 - Feel So Bad
03 - Blues (That Mean Old Twister)
04 - I Can't Stay Here In Your Town
05 - Can't Do Like You Used To
06 - West Coast Blues
07 - Short Haired Woman
08 - L.A. Blues
09 - Big Mama Jump
10 - Down Baby
11 - Let Me Play With Your Poodle
12 - Fast Mail Rambler
13 - Thinkin' And Worryin'
14 - Can't Get That Woman Off My Mind
15 - Woman Woman
16 - Picture On The Wall
17 - You're Not Goin' To Worry My Life Anymore
18 - You're Gonna Miss Me
19 - Sugar On My Mind
20 - Nightmare Blues
21 - Someday Baby
22 - Come Back Baby

CD2
01 - Lightnin's Boogie
02 - Baby You're Not Going To Make A Fool Out Of Me
03 - Daddy Will Be Home One Day
04 - Moon Rise Blues
05 - Howling Wolf
06 - Morning Blues
07 - Have To Let You Go
08 - Mama's Baby Child
09 - Mistreated Blues
10 - My California
11 - Honey Babe
12 - So Long
13 - See See Rider
14 - Unpredictable Woman
15 - I Just Don't Care
16 - Drinkin' Woman
17 - Abilene
18 - Shotgun
19 - Rollin' And Rollin'
20 - Tell It Like It IsE
21 - Miss Loretta

Lightnin' Hopkins - Guitar, piano, vocals
Wilson "Thunder" Smith - Piano, vocals
Unknown - Drums

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, allmusic.com

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