For those unaware, Samuel John Hopkins was born in 1912 to a poor sharecropping family in Centerville, Texas. He immersed himself in the blues at an early age, having met Blind Lemon Jefferson at a church picnic not long after having struck out on his own.

In 1946, Hopkins was discovered by Aladdin Records’ talent scout Lola Anne Cullum, who convinced him to travel to Los Angeles from Houston. There, he cut sides both as a solo artist and as part of a duo with pianist Wilson Smith. It was during his stint at Aladdin that he acquired his nickname, while his partner was dubbed Thunder.

Shortly thereafter, Hopkins returned to Houston, his home base for the balance of his life. He was a world-class song improviser and performer, but it was as a guitarist that Hopkins had the most impact. Jimmie Vaughan once said that without Hopkins, there would be no Jimi Hendrix, and in fact Hendrix’s record collection boasted more Hopkins LPs than any artist other than Bob Dylan.

The legendary blues guitarist performed at Los Angeles’ famed Ash Grove venue on many occasions over the club’s decade-and-a-half existence. Ten of the songs on this set are compiled from two separate performances at the club, and none of the performances on the album have previously been available commercially.

Tracks 1-14 consists of acoustic tracks with song introductions from a set recorded on November 29, 1970. Tracks 15-16 are acoustic performances from September 22, 1965. The disc is rounded out with four electric tracks with his band from Palo Alto’s In Your Ear club recorded on August 18, 1971.

While most of the tunes are originals, the set lists include some distinctive cover versions of the R&B classics What I’d Say and Hi-Heel Sneakers, along with some folk/gospel nuggets, Don’t The Moon Look Pretty and How Long Has It Been.

1. Couldn’t Be Satisfied (Live November 29, 1970)
2. Intro Questionnaire Blues (Live November 29, 1970)
3. Questionnaire Blues (Live November 29, 1970)
4. Intro Ain’t It Crazy (Live November 29, 1970)
5. Ain’t It Crazy (Live November 29, 1970)
6. Intro Don’t The Moon Look Pretty (Live November 29, 1970)
7. Don’t the Moon Look Pretty (Live November 29, 1970)
8. Intro Black and Evil (Live November 29, 1970)
9. Black and Evil (Live November 29, 1970)
10. Lightnin’s Boogie (Live November 29, 1970) 11. Intro What’d I Say (Live November 29, 1970)
12. What’d I Say (Live November 29, 1970)
13. Intro How Long Have It Been Since You Been Home? (Live November 29, 1970)
14. How Long Have It Been Since You Been Home? (Live November 29, 1970)
15. Black Cadillac (Live September 22, 1965)
16. Coffee House Blues (Live September 22, 1965)
17. Hi-Heel Sneakers (Live From In Your Ear August 18, 1971)
18. Lightnin’ Can Do It (Live From In Your Ear August 18, 1971)
19. You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone (Live From In Your Ear August 18, 1971)
20. Hardly Trying (Live From In Your Ear August 18, 1971)

The amazingly enthused live recording opens on the low slung Couldn’t Be Satisfied and the precise guitar playing of a quickly intro’d, and then fully enjoyable Questionnaire Blues, and then we get the quietly grooved Intro/Ain’t It Crazy, the erstwhile Intro/Don’t The Moon Look Pretty, before we get one of my own personal favorites here, the impassioned Intro/Black and Evil, which is backed by the fervently paced Lightnin’s Boogie.

Along next comes the low, shuffy groove of Intro/What’d I Say and then the American Spirit gets distilled into its purest form on Intro/How Long Have It Been Since You Been Home?, and they are in turn followed seamlessly by the cool ride within Black Cadillac, the sweetly-cultured Coffee House Blues, the jaunty guitar fest Hi-Heel Sneakers, the set rounding out on the sculpted blues of Lightnin’ Can Do It, the aching yearn that flows throughout You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone, closing on the forthright blues of Hardly Trying.

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