Samuel John "Lightnin'" Hopkins was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist from Centerville, Texas. In 2010, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 71 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
Arhoolie Records is an American small independent record label that was run by Chris Strachwitz and is based in El Cerrito, California, United States The label was founded by Strachwitz in 1960 as a way for him to record and produce music by previously obscure "down-home blues" artists such as Lightnin' Hopkins, Snooks Eaglin, and Bill Gaither. Strachwitz despised most commercial music as mouse music. Arhoolie still publishes blues and folk music, Tejano music including Lydia Mendoza, Los Alegres de Terán, Flaco Jiménez, regional Mexican music, cajun, zydeco, and bluegrass.
Christian Alexander Maria Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz was a German-born American record label executive and record producer. He was the founder and president of Arhoolie Records, which he established in 1960 and which became one of the leading labels recording and issuing blues, Cajun, norteño, and other forms of roots music from the United States and elsewhere in the world. Strachwitz despised most commercial music as mouse music.
Weldon H. Philip Bonner, better known as Juke Boy Bonner was an American blues singer, harmonica player, and guitarist. He was influenced by Lightnin' Hopkins, Jimmy Reed, and Slim Harpo. He accompanied himself on guitar, harmonica, and drums in songs such as "Going Back to the Country", "Life Is a Nightmare", and "Struggle Here in Houston".
Frankie Lee Sims was an American singer-songwriter and electric blues guitarist. He released nine singles during his career, one of which, "Lucy Mae Blues" (1953), was a regional hit. Two compilation albums of his work were released posthumously.
Lightnin' Sam Hopkins is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in California in late 1961 and Texas in early 1962 and released on the Arhoolie label.
Lightnin' Hopkins is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in 1959 and released on the Folkways label. The album was first released around the time that the book The Country Blues came out and was an instant success. It gave Hopkin's career a new lease on life.
Texas Blues Man is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in Texas in late 1967 and released on the Arhoolie label.
California Mudslide (and Earthquake), also reissued as Los Angeles Blues, is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in California in 1969 and released on the Vault label.
Lightning Hopkins in Berkeley is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in California in 1969 and originally released on the Arhoolie label in 1972. The original LP featured one side of previously unreleased recordings and the other six track which were originally released on Lightnin'!.
Lightnin'! is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in California in 1969 and released on the Poppy label as a double LP.
Live at Newport is a live album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. Several tracks were released on three Vanguard Records compilation albums, The Great Blues Men (1971), Great Bluesmen Newport (1977), and Blues with a Feeling (1993), before the complete performance was released on CD in 2002.
Lightnin' Hopkins Strums the Blues is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins featuring tracks recorded between 1946 and 1948 which were originally released as 10-inch 78rpm records on the Aladdin label. The album was one of the first 12-inch LP collections of Lightnin' Hopkins material to be released. In 1991 a double CD collection of The Complete Aladdin Recordings was released containing all of the recordings Hopkins made for the label.
Lightning Hopkins Sings the Blues, also released as Original Folk Blues, is a 12-inch LP album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins collecting tracks recorded between 1947 and 1951 that were originally released as 10-inch 78rpm records on the RPM label. The album was released on the Mainstream Records low budget, Crown subsidiary and was an early 12-inch LP collections of Lightnin' Hopkins material recorded at Gold Star Studios to be released. In 1999 a double CD collection of Jake Head Boogie was released containing all of the Hopkins recordings released by the RPM label along with several previously unreleased recordings.
Last of the Great Blues Singers, also released as Vol. 1 Blues / Folk Series, The Blues and Blues Train, is a 12-inch LP album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins featuring tracks recorded between 1951 and 1953 that were originally released as 10-inch 78rpm records on Bob Shad's Sittin' in With label. The album was one of the earlier collections of Lightnin' Hopkins material to be released. In 2004 a CD collection, Hello Central: The Best of Lightnin' Hopkins, was released by Legacy Recordings containing all of the recordings Hopkins made for the Sittin' in With label.
Lightnin' and the Blues is a 12-inch LP album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, collecting twelve tracks recorded in 1954 that were originally released as 7-inch singles on the Herald Records label. From the late 1980s, other Herald tracks began appearing on collections like The Herald Recordings – 1954 and The Herald Recordings Vol. 2 before a 30-track CD edition was released in 2016.
Early Recordings is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins featuring tracks recorded at Gold Star Recording Studios between 1946 and 1950, eight of which were originally released as 10-inch 78rpm records on the Gold Star and Jax labels, along with eight others that were previously unissued. Arhoolie reissued The Gold Star Sessions on two CDs through Smithsonian Folkways in 1990.
Early Recordings Vol. 2 is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins featuring tracks recorded at Gold Star Recording Studios between 1946 and 1950, thirteen of which were originally released as 10-inch 78rpm records on the Gold Star and Dart labels, along with three others that were previously unissued. Arhoolie reissued The Gold Star Sessions on two CDs through Smithsonian Folkways in 1990.
The Swarthmore Concert, subtitled King of the Blues, is a live album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded at the Swarthmore College Folk Festival in 1965. It was originally released as part of the seven-CD box set Lightnin' Hopkins: The Complete Prestige/Bluesville Recordings, in 1991, before being reissued on Bluesville as a single CD in 1993.
Lightning Hopkins with His Brothers Joel and John Henry / with Barbara Dane is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in Texas and California in 1964 and released on the Arhoolie label. The original album was split with one side featuring tracks with Hopkins and His Brothers and the other performances with Barbara Dane. In 1991 through Smithsonian Folkways, Arhoolie released the Hopkins Brothers tracks on CD as The Hopkins Brothers: Joel, Lightning & John Henry with additional unreleased recordings, then in 1994 the tracks with Barbara Dane were released as Sometimes I Believe She Loves Me with unreleased tracks.
