Search - Johnny Copeland :: Honky Tonkin

This Texas blues avatar actually began recording in 1958 yet never made inroads until he signed with Rounder in 1981. The 12 searing cuts on this set (a budget-friendly alternative to the Texas Twister compilation) are culled from five of Clyde's 1980s Rounder efforts, and they offer a wonderful glimpse of his horn-driven, jazz-inflected, propulsive blues. As a guitarist, Copeland had much of the fluency of his idol T-Bone Walker, but he added a touch of B.B. King's emotionalism and Albert Collins's bite. As a vocalist, his pained, growling delivery is so cutting that it may even hurt your throat. Copeland also deserves acclaim as a songwriter (all dozen songs here are his own) who always found a new way to interpret the blues' classic themes. --Marc Greilsamer