LIGHTNIN HOPKINS

THIS IS A FAN PAGE ONLY.1912-Born in Centreville,Texas on March 15.When Sam is eight he makes his first guitar for himself out of acigar box,and learns to play it with the help of his brother,Joel. 1920-Having joined the local church choir,he learns the fundamental principals of using a keyboard as well as the basic rudiments of singing.During the twenties he travels around Texas,alternating work in the fields with performances at the country dances. 1930-He lives by makeshift,which includes working in a brothel together with the harmonica-player Billy Bizor.But he is arrested for fighting in 1937 and sentenced to two hundred days in Housten County Prison. 1943-He finds work with the Missouri/Pacific Railway Company in Housten,where he settles permanently.But he does not let this interfere with his performances with Texas Alexander and Smokey Hogg. 1946-He makes his first recordingings with Wilbur Smith(an organist) in Los Angeles,including "Katie Mae" which sells quite well. 1947-He makes some recordings in Housten with his brother Joel. 1950/1959-Hopkins continues to grow in statue as a blues personality,and the record companies show a big interest in him.Sam goes on to record something like five hundred songs during this period,including the well known " Nothing but the blues" and "One kind Favour". 1960/1969-He appears at the Berkeley Festival and takes part in the European tour made by the American Folk Blues Festival(1964),and in the Newport(1965) and Ann Arbor(1969) Festivals.At the same time he continues to produce a copious amount of recordings,including "Mojo Hand","Cotton","Woke up This Morning" and "Tom Moore Blues". 1970/1979-The rather precarious state of his health limits his creativity,although the odd little gem pops up here and there,such as "Cryin for Bread" and "Pa and Ma Hopkins". 1982-He dies in Housten on January 30 No metric rules can be apolied to this deep voiced singer with the highly individual guitar style.Hopkins ia an extrememly poetic figure from the postwar country blues movement.Indeed he knew how to best interpret the role of the street singer,who derives the inspiration for his compositions from observing the events that happen to him and the whole of humanity surrounding him.Marino Grandi ("IL BLUES Magazine")