Product details
- Label Riverside Records
- Artist John Lee Hooker
- Format 1LP
- Country United States
- Released Date 2024
- Genre Blues
- Sealed Yes
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That's My Story John Lee Hooker Sings The Blues by John Lee Hooker.
Recorded in New York on February 9, 1960, "That's My Story: John Lee Hooker Sings The Blues" captures one of the great blues voices at a fascinating crossroads. Here Hooker steps into a proper studio setting with a small band behind him, his unmistakable vocals and guitar anchoring twelve performances that range from tough, insistent stompers to quieter, more reflective moods. It is a record that shows just how much authority Hooker could command with the simplest of means.
For much of the album, Hooker is joined by Sam Jones on bass and Louis Hayes on drums, a rhythm team that lends steady, understated support across most of the program. Their presence gives numbers like "I Need Some Money," "Gonna Use My Rod," and "No More Doggin'" a firm foundation, letting Hooker push and pull against the beat in the way only he could. On several tracks, though, the arrangement thins out, leaving Hooker to carry the song alone, and those moments underline the raw, hypnotic pull at the heart of his art.
The material spans the full breadth of Hooker's world. There are hard blues and boasts, tender confessions like "I Want To Talk About You," road-weary meditations such as "I'm Wanderin'" and "One Of These Days," and the pointed social commentary of "Democrat Man." The album closes with its title piece, "That's My Story," a fitting summation that frames the whole set as a kind of personal testimony. It is a program that rewards close listening, each track adding another shade to the portrait.
This edition was overseen by producer Orrin Keepnews, who also contributed the liner notes, with engineering by Jack Higgins. The reissue benefits from careful modern attention to sound, remastered by Phil De Lancie with lacquers cut by Kevin Gray, a pairing well known to collectors who prize clarity and depth in analog playback. The result is a pressing that honors the immediacy of the original 1960 sessions.
Presentation is handsome throughout. The cover design credits Harris Lewine, Ken Braren, and Paul Bacon, while the striking photography comes courtesy of Lawrence N. Shustak. Notably, the original Blues Classics logo does not appear anywhere on this release, one of the small details that sets this issue apart for those tracking the differences between pressings.
Collectors should note that this is neither the 140g version from 1991 nor the 2012 issue, which carries different matrix runout markings. For anyone building a serious John Lee Hooker shelf, or simply seeking one of his most rewarding studio statements, this pressing of "That's My Story" is a genuine pleasure to own and to play.
Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. I Need Some Money
A2. Come On And See About Me
A3. I'm Wanderin'
A4. Democrat Man
A5. I Want To Talk About You
A6. Gonna Use My Rod
B1. Wednesday Evenin' Blues
B2. No More Doggin'
B3. One Of These Days
B4. I Believe I'll Go Back Home
B5. You're Leavin' Me, Baby
B6. That's My Story
Credits:
Sam Jones - Bass (A1, A3, A5 to B5)
Harris Lewine - Design [Cover]
Ken Braren - Design [Cover]
Paul Bacon (2) - Design [Cover]
Louis Hayes - Drums (A1, A3, A5 to B5)
Jack Higgins - Engineer
Kevin Gray - Lacquer Cut By
Lawrence N. Shustak - Photography By
Orrin Keepnews - Producer, Liner Notes
Phil De Lancie - Remastered By
John Lee Hooker - Vocals, Guitar
Notes:
Recorded in New York, February 9, 1960.
Original Blues Classics logo doesn't appear anywhere on the release
It is not the version from 1991 because the weight from the 1991 version is 140g
It is not the version from 2012 because the matrix runout are different.
Artist: John Lee Hooker
Format: 1LP
Genre: Blues
Label: Riverside Records
Catalog Number: RLP-12-321
Release Year: 2024
Country: United States
Condition: Sealed (New)
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