Re-released for the first time on vinyl since its original release in 1970! Produced by legendary soul singer / songwriter / producer Jerry Williams Jr., aka Swamp Dogg, Lightnin’ Slim’s High & Low Down will be available June 25th on CD and in Limited Edition Colored Vinyl exclusive to Bomp-mailorder.
The following are B.B. King’s original 1970 liner notes for Lighnin’ Slim’s High & Low Down album:
Over the years I have listened to many records and albums of many types of music. As a disc jockey I played many different kinds of sounds, but I guess as an entertainer I pull a little harder for the blues performers because I want them to be heard, played and respected as much as other music is; that is, when it merits it. Lightning Slim’s new album I think merits all the qualities that a great artist and a hit album should have. It’s some great sounds. This is my opinion. Musically Yours, B.B. King
And here is Swamp Dogg’s hilarious recollection on tracking down B.B. King 43 years ago for the above liner notes, along with his own take on Lightnin’ Slim:
After chasing B.B. around the globe for six months, the above doesn’t give me any insight as to how he feels about the recording or the artist. He’s a championship skater when it comes to saying nothing about a motherfucker.
After meeting with Sid Seidenberg, his deceased manager, I had to step out of the picture and let my wife (now deceased) Yvonne take over. She was a master when it came to detecting bullshit in any situation. Anyway, he finally wrote these watery liners after Yvonne went up to his penthouse suite in a ten star, New Orleans hotel; the Rosemont or some sh*t that had to do with a Mont. I went back to the Ramada, after thinking about leaving my wife with a famous multi-millionaire blues singer. I said to myself, “fuck these liners, I’m going up there”. I knocked on the door like a gentleman with my .38 in my shoulder bag. An attendant opened the door and the place was laid out with all kinds of champagne, finger sandwich shit, wines, food, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t blame him if his goal was what I thought. I just intended to foil the plot, and if Yvonne’s hair and clothes were disheveled, I was going to do some damage to both, and maybe (?), jump out the window. Nooooo, fuck that! Upon my entrance and being introduced to him by my wife, he offered me a drink and commenced to write the above notes that could apply to any blues singer.
I’ve produced and written for some great artists in my life and Lightning Slim is in my top ten. He didn’t have to be coddled, nursed, etc. He learned the songs and got down to business. He only gave me three days to record him because he wanted to get back to Pontiac, Michigan to get back to his job at a lock factory. This album is as good as most blues albums and better than most. It has the Muscle Shoals, Alabama A-team rhythm section and the horn section that David Johnson (owner / engineer of Broadway Sound) and I assembled, which later became the Muscle Shoals horns. I‘ll speculate that if Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, George Benson, Albert King and Freddy King ever heard this blues album, they would rate Lightning’s great delivery, song writing and innovative swamp guitar style in their top ten of authentic blues men. – Swamp Dogg
HIGH & LOW DOWN TRACK LISTING:
1. Rooster Blues
2. Things I Used To Do
3. Bad Luck Blues
4. My Babe
5. GI Blues
6. Oh Baby
7. That’s All Right
8. Crazy Bout You Baby
9. Goodmorning Heartaches
10. Voodoo Blues
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