Product Review

Sam 'Lightnin'' Hopkins (1912-1982) was the embodiment of Texas country blues and inspired novelists, filmmakers, and of course, countless blues singer-guitarists. The stunning impact of his charismatic performances comes fully to life in this video tracing Lightnin's career subsequent to his rediscovery in 1959. In 1960, German filmmaker Dietrich Wavzyn captured Lightnin' on his Houston home turf, and the clips here of him perfoming on the street and in a Houston bar are rare glimpses into his milieu (and the earliest known footage of Hopkins). Seven years later, a relaxed Lightnin' delivered engaging folk-blues performances for Seattle folklorists, five of which appear here. In 1970 he painted a masterful and entertaining musical self-portrait in eight songs from the Los Angeles PBS shows Boboquivari. Finally, Lightnin's 'lion-in-winter' appearance on Austin City Limits in 1979 shows a still powerful country bluesman disproving the old dog/new tricks adage with a Stratocaster and a wah-wah pedal! NTSC all region, 70 minutes.