Crucial Texas Blues

• Artist: Various Artists
• Release Date: February 24, 2004
• Type: Collection (various artists), Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Blues

Review

Opening with the ageless Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's "She Walks Right In" and continuing through the ferocious duel guitars of Johnny Copeland and Albert Collins on "Lion's Den," the Fats Domino-like stroll of Katie Webster and Lonnie Brooks on "Those Lonely, Lonely Nights," and the funky "Standing on Shaky Ground" by Delbert McClinton, this sampler of Texas players on the Alligator Records roster shows a surprising diversity of approaches to contemporary blues. An obvious highlight here is "Richest Man" by East Texan C.J. Chenier, a slow, simmering ballad that hints at zydeco with its well-placed horns and accordions, but ends up being pure blues when all is said and done. All in all, this is a decent sampler of Alligator's wares, with enough sameness to feel like the tracks belong together, and enough difference to keep things fresh. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
She Walks Right In	Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown	Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown	(3:08)
Lion's Den		Johnny Copeland, Albert Collins	(3:58)
Both Ends of the Road	Long John Hunter, Jonathan Foose, Tary Owens	Long John Hunter	(5:02)
Midnight Hour Blues		W.C. Clark	(3:25)
Those Lonely, Lonely Nights		Katie Webster, Lonnie Brooks	(4:57)
Street Walkin' Woman	Jack White	Phillip Walker, Long John Hunter	(4:23)
Tin Pan Alley (Lyrics)	Curtis Jones	Johnny Winter	(5:51)
450 Pound Woman	Floyd Dixon	Floyd Dixon	(2:18)
Richest Man		C.J. Chenier	(4:30)
Standing on Shaky Ground (Lyrics)	Alphonso Boyd, Jeffrey Bowen	Delbert McClinton	(4:06)
I'm Coming Down With the Blues	Don Covay	Marcia Ball	(4:01)
Too Many Dirty Dishes (Lyrics)	Albert Collins, John Newton	Albert Collins	(6:53)

Credits

Terrence Bert (Photography), Bruce Iglauer (Producer), Bob DePugh (Producer), Kevin Niemiec (Design)