Autobiography in Blues

Autobiography in Blues
Studio album by Lightnin' Hopkins
Released	1960
Recorded	February 16 & 26, 1959
Studio	Houston, TX
Genre	Blues
Length	43:33
Label	Tradition TLP 1040
Producer	Mack McCormick
Lightnin' Hopkins chronology
Country Blues (1959) Autobiography in Blues (1960) Down South Summit Meetin' (1960)

Autobiography in Blues is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in 1959 and released on the Tradition label the following year. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings	[6]
DownBeat	[7]

AllMusic stated: "Not having recorded commercially for several years, Lightnin' was in serious mood, resulting in a set of masterful performances that carried more weight than his later, frequently arbitrary sessions". ^[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 that "the recording lends warmth to both voice and acoustic guitar". ^[6]

DownBeat reviewer Pete Welding awarded the album 5 stars. ^[7] He wrote that the album, "has the ring of utter truth, and the validity of its message is immediately apparent to listeners from every disparate cultural background — not just the background that produced the music". ^[7]

Track listing

All compositions by Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins and Mack McCormick except where noted

1. "In the Evening, the Sun Is Going Down" – 4:13
2. "Trouble in Mind" (Richard M. Jones) – 2:53
3. "Mama and Papa Hopkins" – 4:42
4. "The Foot Race Is On" – 2:42
5. "That Gambling Life" – 4:52
6. "When the Saints Go Marching In" (Traditional) – 2:44
7. "Get off My Toe" – 4:59
8. "75 Highway" – 4:10
9. "Bottle It up and Go" – 3:42
10. "Short Haired Woman" – 3:38
11. "So Long Baby" – 1:47
12. "Santa Fe Blues" – 3:11

Personnel

Performance

• Lightnin' Hopkins – guitar, vocals

Production

• Mack McCormick – supervision, engineer

References

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 20 January 15, 2011 accessed November 7, 2018
5. Music, All. Lightnin' Hopkins: Autobiography in Blues – Review at AllMusic . Retrieved November 7, 2018.
6. Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. London: Penguin. p. 278. ISBN   978-0-140-51384-4.
7. Welding, Pete (February 16, 1961). "In Review". DownBeat . 28 (4): 40–41.