Alan Govenar (47 page)

Note: Billboard announced in September 1951 that Bill Quinn had shut down Gold Star Records and sold thirty-two masters of Hopkins and Lil' Son Jackson to Modern Records. These titles were presumably recorded over the course of Hopkins's tenure with Gold Star Records, with perhaps the majority of them dating from 1949–50. There are twenty titles by Hopkins (not including alternate or incomplete takes), plus one (“Mistreater Blues”) from the February 1948 Aladdin sessions that was acquired by Quinn and issued on the flipside of RPM 388.

Reverb was added to most titles; the P-Vine reissue (which compiles all of the RPM/Modern Hopkins masters) restores them to their original state.

Note: This session was unissued at the time it was recorded, only appearing on albums in the early 1970s. Roger Armstrong (Ace Records, UK) has documented three additional masters from this session that have never been released. The titles listed are provisional.

Note: Most LP/CD reissues of the Sittin' In With recordings, including those below, feature added reverb that does not appear on the original records.

1951. Houston, TX. Producer: Bob Shad

Vocal/electric guitar; Donald Cooks, bass; L. C. Williams, tap dancing*.

Note: The above sessions were probably recorded on different o ccasions over the course of 1951 (and possibly1952) by Shad. “I've Been a Bad Man” retitled “Mad Blues” on Jax 660.”Contrary Mary” retitled “Crazy Mary” on Harlem 2321. “Broken Hearted Blues” on Mainstream CD 905 is a completely different song than the “Broken Hearted Blues” issued as Sittin' In With 658. Mercury 8252 credited to “Lightening' (sic) Hopkins.”

Summer 1951. Probably ACA Recording Studio, 5520–22 Washington Ave., Houston, TX. Producer: Bob Shad

Vocal/acoustic guitar with Donald Cooks, bass.

Note: These singles were credited to “Lightening Hopkins.”

July 29, 1953. Probably ACA Recording Studio, 5520-22 Washington Ave., Houston, TX. Producer: Bob Shad

Vocal/electric guitar with Donald Cooks, bass; Connie Kroll, drums. Overdubbed crying*.

Note: All Decca pressings are credited to “Lightening Hopkins.” Most reissues of “Cemetery Blues” use the original master, without the overdubbed “crying” as originally issued.

Original issues are on black Decca labels. “Merry Christmas” b/w “Happy New Year” was reissued in the early 1960s with the multi-colored Decca label.

c. November 1953. Probably ACA Sound and Film Studio, 5520-22 Washington Ave., Houston, TX. Producer: H. M. Crowe

Note: TNT 8010 is a c.1956 reissue of TNT 8003, credited to “Lightin' Hopkins.”

c. April 1954. ACA Sound and Film Studio, 5520-22 Washington Ave., Houston, TX.

Vocal/electric guitar with Donald Cooks, bass; Ben Turner, drums; Ruth Ames, vocal*.

Notes: These sessions probably occurred over several days in or around April 1954. Reverb was added to all songs except “Walkin' the Streets” and “Mussy Haired Woman.”

Herald 483 credited to “Lightnin' Hopkins with his Protégé Ruth (Blues) Ames.”

Ten songs from these sessions were retitled and reissued by Herald in the late 1950s. These are detailed below.

“Don't Think ‘Cause You're Pretty” was edited and retitled “Blues Is a Mighty Bad Feelin'” on Herald 504.

“Lightnin's Boogie” retitled “Boogie Woogie Dance” on Herald 504.

“Life I Used to Live” retitled “Gonna Change My Ways” on Herald 547.

“Lightnin's Special” retitled “Flash Lightnin'” on Herald 547.

“Sick Feeling Blues” retitled “I'm Achin'” on Herald 542.

“Moving On Out Boogie” retitled “Let's Move” on Herald 542.

“Early Mornin' Boogie” retitled “Hear Me Talkin'” on Herald 531.

“Grandma's Boogie” retitled “Lightnin's Stomp” on Herald 531.

“Bad Boogie” (Ace 516) retitled “My Little Kewpie Doll” on Herald 520 and Herald LP 1012.

“Wonder What is Wrong with Me” (Ace 516) was edited and retitled “Lightnin' Don't Feel Well” on Herald 520.

Two songs from these sessions were also retitled and reissued on Parade in the late 1950s / early 1960s: “Bad Boogie” retitled “Work with Me and I'll Work with You” on Parade 8020, and “Walkin' the Streets” retitled “Street Walking Woman” on Parade 8020.

Herald LP 1012 (Lightnin' and the Blues), which technically may not qualify as a reissue, was released in 1960.

1954. ACA Sound and Film Studio, 5520-22 Washington Ave., Houston, TX.