PINETOP PERKINS BOOGIE WOOGIE KING
Recording information: 11/01/1976.
Original Release Date: 1992 
Label: Evidence
Format: Flac


Pinetop Perkins, the blues pianist with immense talent, has died at the age of 97 on Monday March 21 2011. Perkins’ death was confirmed by his agent, Hugh Southard, who said the musician lost his life due to cardiac arrest at his home in Austin, Texas. His love for work was infinite and at this age he was active as a young horse while he registered his name as the oldest Grammy winner in February for Best Traditional Blues Album for “Joined at the Hip: Pinetop Perkins & Willie “Big Eyes” Smith.” Perkins became the part of Muddy Waters band in 1969 and enjoyed great success with it.

Southard told the Associated Press, “He is the blues, he is the epitome of it. He lived it, breathed it. Two cheeseburgers, apple pie, a cigarette and a pretty girl was all he wanted.” Perkins along with other Muddy Waters former backing musicians that included Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Jerry Portnoy, Louis Myers, and Calvin “Fuzz” Jones came together and formed the Legendary Blues Band. He received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 for his outstanding contribution in this field while he also earned a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album for “Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live In Dallas,” for his collaboration with David Honeyboy Edwards, Henry James Townsend and Robert Lockwood, Jr. Perkins, whose eight-decade career came to an end with his death, but his music will live forever.

Although he did not have an album issued under his name as a leader until 1988, pianist Pinetop Perkins actually should have had one released in 1976, when he cut the eight tracks on this recently reissued Evidence CD for the Black and Blue label. They did not appear until 1992, which is a shame. Perkins' trademark boogie-woogie riffs, rumbling rhythms, left-hand lines, and spinning phrases were in fine form. His accompaniment and supporting phrases behind guitarist/vocalist Luther Johnson Jr. are equally tasty and inviting. Johnson, as erratic a performer as any in contemporary blues, came ready to play and sing on this date. His vocals had plenty of grit, conviction, and energy, while his playing had no excesses and was delivered with zip and flair. ~ Ron Wynn

Tracklist
1. Pinetop Is Just Top 6:15
2. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie 4:33
3. Take A Little Walk With Me 4:52
4. Rockin' The Boogie 5:17
5. So Many Days 5:29
6. Jackson Town Gal 4:40
7. Sweet Black Angel 5:17
8. Lend Me Your Love 4:48


Personnel: Pinetop Perkins (vocals, piano); Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson (guitar); Calvin "Fuzz" Jones (bass guitar); Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (drums)[/size].

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