The House of Blue Lights (album)
Encyclopedia
The House of Blue Lights is an Rhythm & blues album
by the soul music
artist Don Covay
& the Jefferson Lemon Blues Band. It was released in 1969 on Atlantic records
. (See 1969 in music
).
Unlike Covay's previous two more Southern soul
oriented albums, Covay teamed with former Shirelles guitarist Joe Richardson and folk musician John Hammond
in the Jefferson Lemon Blues Band, an attempt at an underground
blues-rock
album titled The House of Blue Lights.
The album was re-issued on compact disc
on September 26, 2002 by Sepia-tone records.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by the soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
artist Don Covay
Don Covay
Don Covay is an American R&B/rock and roll/soul music singer and songwriter most active in the 1950s and 1960s, who received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994...
& the Jefferson Lemon Blues Band. It was released in 1969 on Atlantic records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. (See 1969 in music
1969 in music
-Events:Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts. At a Rolling Stones concert in Altamont, California, a fan was stabbed to death by Hells Angels, a biker gang that had been hired to provide security for the event...
).
Unlike Covay's previous two more Southern soul
Southern soul
Southern soul is a type of soul music that emerged from the Southern United States. The music originated from a combination of styles, including blues , country, early rock and roll, and a strong gospel influence that emanated from the sounds of Southern African-American churches. The focus of the...
oriented albums, Covay teamed with former Shirelles guitarist Joe Richardson and folk musician John Hammond
John P. Hammond
John Paul Hammond is an American blues singer and guitarist. The son of record producer John H. Hammond, he is sometimes referred to as "John Hammond, Jr.".-Background:...
in the Jefferson Lemon Blues Band, an attempt at an underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
blues-rock
Blues-rock
Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
album titled The House of Blue Lights.
The album was re-issued on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
on September 26, 2002 by Sepia-tone records.
Track listing
- "Key to the HighwayKey to the Highway"Key to the Highway" is a blues standard first recorded by blues pianist Charlie Segar in 1940. The song was also recorded by Jazz Gillum and Big Bill Broonzy in 1940–41, and it was later a R&B record chart success for Little Walter in 1958...
" (Big Bill BroonzyBig Bill BroonzyBig Bill Broonzy was a prolific American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. His career began in the 1920s when he played country blues to mostly black audiences. Through the ‘30s and ‘40s he successfully navigated a transition in style to a more urban blues sound popular with white audiences...
, Charles Segar) – 2:21 - "Mad Dog Blues" (Don CovayDon CovayDon Covay is an American R&B/rock and roll/soul music singer and songwriter most active in the 1950s and 1960s, who received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994...
, Joe RichardsonJoe RichardsonJoseph Richardson was an English professional footballer.Richardson joined Blyth Spartans from local side New Delavel Villa...
) – 3:28 - "The Blues Don't Knock" (John Denioa, Sidney Wyche) – 3:11
- "Blues Ain't Nothin' but a Good Woman on Your Mind" (Covay, Richardson) – 3:12
- "The House of Blue Lights, Pt. 1" (Covay) – 7:33
- "Four Women" (Covay) – 3:34
- "Steady Roller" (Covay, John Hammond Jr.) – 3:17
- "Homemade Love" (Covay) – 6:26
- "But I Forgive You Blues" (Hudson Whittaker) – 2:31
- "Shut Your Mouth" (Dave Clowney) – 3:23
- "The House of Blue Lights, Pt. 2" (Covay) – 4:09
The band
- Don CovayDon CovayDon Covay is an American R&B/rock and roll/soul music singer and songwriter most active in the 1950s and 1960s, who received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - John Hammond, Jr. - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, HarmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes... - Gerald Jemmott - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Daniel JonesDaniel JonesDaniel Jones is the name of:* Daniel Jones , phonetician, author of The Pronunciation of English* Daniel Jones , chancellor of the University of Mississippi* Daniel Jones , Welsh composer...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Charles "Honeyman" Otis - Drums
- Joe RichardsonJoe RichardsonJoseph Richardson was an English professional footballer.Richardson joined Blyth Spartans from local side New Delavel Villa...
- Guitar, Vocals - Butch Valentine - Bass
Technical staff
- Don CovayDon CovayDon Covay is an American R&B/rock and roll/soul music singer and songwriter most active in the 1950s and 1960s, who received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994...
- arrangerArrangerIn investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
, producer - Herb AbramsonHerb AbramsonHerbert C. Abramson was an American record company executive and producer.He was born in 1916 in Brooklyn, New York City and initially studied to be a dentist but he landed a job with National Records producing such performers as The Ravens, Billy Eckstine and Joe Turner...
– engineer - David Cheppa – mastering
External links
- [ The House of Blue Lights] at Allmusic
- The House of Blue Lights at Sepia tone records site