Luther Allison: Blues Overdose

 

Luther Sylvester Allison (August 17, 1939 – August 12, 1997) was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was born in Widener, Arkansas, although some accounts suggest his actual

place of birth was Mayflower, Arkansas. Allison was interested in music as a child and during the late 1940s he toured in a family gospel group called The Southern Travellers. He moved with his family to Chicago in 1951 and attended Farragut High School where he was classmates with Muddy Waters' son. He taught himself guitar and began listening to blues extensively. Three years later he dropped out of school and began hanging around outside blues nightclubs with the hopes of being invited to perform.
                    

Allison was the 14th of 15 children, the son of cotton farmers. His parents moved to Chicago when he was in his early teens, but he had a solid awareness of blues before he left Arkansas, as he played organ

in the church and learned to sing gospel in Widener as well. Allison recalled that his earliest awareness of blues came via the family radio in Arkansas, which his dad would play at night. Allison recalls listening to both the Grand Ole Opry and B.B. King on the King Biscuit Show on Memphis' WDIA. Although he was a talented baseball player and had begun to learn the shoemaking trade in Chicago after high school, it wasn't long before Allison began to focus more of his attention on playing blues guitar.
                         

Allison played with the bands of Howlin' Wolf and Freddie King, taking over King's band when King toured nationally. He worked with Jimmy Dawkins, Magic Sam and Otis Rush, and also

backed James Cotton. Chicago Reader has called him "the Jimi Hendrix of blues guitar". It was while living with his family on Chicago's West Side that he had his first awareness of wanting to become a full-time bluesman, and he played bass behind guitarist Jimmy Dawkins, who Allison grew up with. Also in Allison's neighborhood were established blues greats like Freddie King, Magic Sam, and Otis Rush. He distinctly remembers everyone talking about Buddy Guy when he came to town from his native Louisiana.
                         

After the Allison household moved to the South Side, they lived a few blocks away from Muddy Waters, and Allison and Waters' son Charles became friends. When he was 18 years old, his brother

showed him basic chords and notes on the guitar, and the super bright Allison made rapid progress after that. Allison went on to "blues college" by sitting in with some of the most legendary names in blues in Chicago's local venues: Muddy Waters, Elmore James, and Howlin' Wolf among them. Allison's big break came in 1957, when Howlin' Wolf invited him to the stage. The same year he worked briefly with Jimmy Dawkins, playing in local clubs. Freddie King took Allison under his wing, and after King got a record deal, Allison took over his gig in the house band of a club on Chicago's West Side.
                            

He worked the club circuit in the late 1950s and early 1960s. During this period, Allison moved to California for a year where he worked with Shakey Jake Harris and Sunnyland Slim. He recorded his first single in 1965. He signed a recording contract with Delmark Records in 1967 and released his

debut album, Love Me Mama, the following year. He performed a well-received set at the 1969 Ann Arbor Blues Festival and as a result was asked to perform there in each of the next three years.
Allison was known for his powerful concert performances, lengthy soulful guitar solos and crowd walking with his Gibson Les Paul. He lived briefly during this period in Peoria, Illinois, where he signed with Rumble Records, releasing two live recordings, Gonna Be a Live One in Here Tonight!, produced by Bill Knight, and Power Wire Blues, produced by George Faber and Jeffrey P. Hess.
                    

Although his Motown albums got him to places he'd never been before, like Japan and new venues in

Europe, the recordings didn't sell well. He does have the distinction of being one of a few blues musicians to record for Motown. Allison stayed busy in Europe through the rest of the 1970s and 1980s, and recorded Love Me Papa for the French Black and Blue label in 1977. He followed with a number of live recordings from Paris, and, in 1984, he settled outside of Paris, since France and Germany were such major markets for him. At home in the U.S., Allison continued to perform sporadically, when knowledgeable blues festival organizers or blues societies would book him.
                  

During his tour in the summer of 1997, Allison checked into a hospital on July 10, 1997 for dizziness

and loss of coordination. It was discovered that he had a tumor on his lung that had metastasized to his brain. He began radiation therapy on July 16, which lasted until August 1. In and out of a coma, Allison died on August 12, 1997, five days before his 58th birthday, in Madison, Wisconsin. His final album, Reckless, had just been released five months prior.
                     

01. LUTHER ALLISON - BAD NEWS IS COMING 1972

                     

The very thing that made Luther Allison noteworthy became an albatross around his neck. Years after his initial run of records in the '70s, he was known for the same thing he was at the time -- he was the

only blues artist on Gordy, or any Motown affiliated label. This was true and novel, but many focused on the novelty, not the truth, ignoring Allison's status as a terrific torchbearer of raw Chicago blues. Some of material illustrates some contemporary influence -- dig that funky groove and organ on "Raggedy and Dirty," or the rock-oriented slow burn of Mel London's "Cut You A-Loose" -- but as his original title track illustrates, he can also deliver a torturous, impassioned slow grind. Still, this isn't an album about originality, it's a record how tradition can remain alive in a contemporary setting.
                   

Luther Allison – Bad News Is Coming
Label: Motown – 440 013 407-2
Series: Blues Classics Remastered & Revisited 2001
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Country: US
Released: 1972    
Genre: Blues
Style: Chicago Blues

TRACKS

                   

01.The Little Red Rooster   4:13
Written-By – Willie Dixon
02.Evil Is Going On   4:38
Written-By – Willie Dixon
03.Raggedy And Dirty   3:42
Written-By – Andrew Smith, Joe Peraino, Luther Allison, Ray Goodman, R. Kreiner
04.Rock Me Baby   5:46
Written-By – B.B. King, J. Josea
05.Bad News Is Coming   7:26
Written-By – Joe Peraino, Luther Allison, Paul White
06.Cut You A-Loose   5:59
Written-By – Mel London
07.Dust My Broom   2:48
Written-By – Elmore James
08.The Stumble   2:23
Written-By – Freddy King
09.Sweet Home Chicago   4:13
Written-By – Robert Johnson
10.It's Been A Long Time   10:44
Written-By – Luther Allison
11.Take My Love (I Want To Give It All To You)   4:21
Written-By – Mertis John

LINE - UP

Vocals, Lead Guitar, Arranged By – Luther Allison
Rhythm Guitar – Ray Goodman
Drums, Bass – Andrew Smith
Harmonica – Garfield Angove
Piano – Paul White

NOTES

Tracks 1 to 7 released as Gordy, G9462, December 1972.
Tracks 8 to 11 previously unreleased bonus tracks.
Tracks recorded February to April, June and August, 1972.

Flac Size: 366 MB

02. LUTHER ALLISON - LUTHER'S BLUES 1974

                

Luther's Blues is where Luther Allison began to come into his own, developing a fluid, gutsy style full

of soulful string bending. There are still a few weak spots, but the album remains an effective slice of contemporary Chicago blues.
              

Luther Allison – Luther's Blues
Label:Motown – 440 013 409-2
Format:CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2001
Country:US
Released:1974
Genre:Blues
Style:Chicago Blues

TRACKS

                

01. Luther's Blues   6:18
Written-By – Luther Allison
02. Someday Pretty Baby   2:40
Written-By – Berry Gordy, James Woodley
03. Easy Baby   5:17
Written-By – Willie Dixon
04. Part Time Love   2:43
Written-By – Janie Bradford, Richard Wylie
05. Now You Got It   3:38
Written-By – Gary Beam, Gene Block, Kenneth Miles, Luther Allison
06. K.T.   3:07
Written-By – Benny Emerson, Joseph Peraino, Luther Allison
07. Let's Have A Little Talk   7:04
Written-By – Luther Allison
08. Driving Wheel   5:34
Written-By – Roosevelt Sykes
09. Into My Life   3:30
Written-By – Luther Allison

BONUS TRACKS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED        

10. San-Ho-Zay   5:20
Written-By – Freddie King, Sonny Thompson
11. Bloomington Closing - Early Version   5:27
Written-By – Luther Allison
12. Medley: I'm Gonna Miss My Baby/Bad News Is Coming/The Thrill Is Gone (Live at Ann Arbor)   19:10
Written-By – Joseph Peraino, Luther Allison, Paul White, Rick Darnell, Roy Hawkins

LINE - UP

Vocals, Harmonica, Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Guitar [Strato-Caster], Arranged By – Luther Allison
Bass – Bob Babbitt (tracks: 1 to 11), Gary Beam (tracks: 1 to 11)
Drums – Andrew Smith (tracks: 1 to 11), K. J. Knight (tracks: 1 to 11)
Piano, Organ – Paul White (tracks: 1 to 11), Tom Curry (tracks: 3)
Rhythm Guitar – Gene Block (tracks: 1 to 11), Ray Goodman (tracks: 1 to 11)

NOTES

Bonus Tracks (Previously Unreleased) Tracks 10-12. Track 12 recorded at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival, September 9, 1973.

Flac Size: 460 MB

03. LUTHER ALLISON - NIGHT LIFE 1976

             

On Night Life, Luther Allison tried to make a crossover album between Soul and Blues and this vinyl

LP was never released on CD. Occasionally, he spits out a good solo, but only the most devoted listeners will be able to dig them out, since they're buried beneath a glossy varnish.
                 

Luther Allison – Night Life
Label: Gordy – G6-974S1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Hollywood Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1976
Genre: Funk / Soul, Blues
Style: Chicago Blues, Funk

SIDE A.

               

A1.Turn Back The Hands Of Time   3:04
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – David Newman
A2.I Can Make It Thru The Day (But Oh Those Lonely Nights)   3:35
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – David Newman
A3.The Bum Is Mine   3:31
Soprano Saxophone, Soloist – Robin Kenyatta
A4. Hollywood Be Thy Name    3:55
A5. That's What Love Will Make You Do   3:37
Trombone, Soloist – Ray Anderson

SIDE B.

                 

B1. Night Life   3:17
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – David Newman
B2. Full Speed Ahead   4:11
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – David Newman
B3. Cross-Cut Saw    4:22
B4. Bloomington Closing    5:38

LINE - UP

Guitar, Vocals – Luther Allison
Alto Saxophone – Lew Del Gatto, Richard Drake
Backing Vocals – Gail Kantor, Hilda Harris, Maretha Stewart, Tasha Thomas
Baritone Saxophone – Bruce Johnstone
Bass – Jeffrey Aldrich, John Lee
Drums – Gerry Brown, Michael Carvin
Guitar – Jim Solberg, Steve Khan
Keyboards – Richard Tee
Percussion – Ralph MacDonald
Piano – Mac Rebennack
Piano, Organ – Larry Byrne
Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker
Trumpet – Randy Brecker

Flac Size: 388 MB

04. LUTHER ALLISON - LOVE ME PAPA 1977

                  

Luther Allison is the blues' proverbial little boy with the curl; when he's good, he's great. When he's bad, he's awful. Allison was on throughout most of the nine tracks (three bonus cuts) on this 1977 date

recently reissued by Evidence on CD, playing with the ferocity, direction, and inventiveness that is often missing from his more uneven efforts. His covers of Little Walter Jacobs' "Last Night" and "Blues With A Feeling" are not reverential or respectful but are launching pads for high-octane, barreling riffs, snappy phrases, and exciting solos. His vocals are not always that keen, but Allison at least stretches them out and adds verbal embellishments, yells, and shouts of encouragement.
                      

Luther Allison – Love Me Papa
Label: Black And Blue – 233524
Format: CD, Album, Reissue 1986
Country: France
Released: 1977
Genre: Blues
Style: Chicago Blues
Total time: 58:33

TRACKS

                     

01. Love Me Papa   5:56
Written-By – Luther Allison
02. Blues With A Feeling   6:23
Written-By – Walter Jacobs
03. Last Night   11:36
Written-By – Walter Jacobs
04. Key To The Highway   5:12
Written-By – B.B. Broonzy, C. Segar, J. Gillum
05. It's Too Late   11:15
Written-By – Luther Allison
06. Feelin' So Good   4:42
Written-By – H. Parker
07. Going Down   5:56
Written-By – Don Nix
08. Luther's Boogie   3:05
Written-By – Luther Allison
09. Standing At The Crossroad   3:13
Written-By – R. Johnson

LINE - UP

Bass Guitar – Jim Campbell
Drums – Donald Robertson
Guitar – Dan Hoeflinger
Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica – Luther Allison
Liner Notes – Didier Tricard
Organ, Piano – Sid Wingfield

NOTES

Recorded on December 13th 1977 at Barclay studio
Selections from 1 to 6 previously released on Black And Blue 33.524. Selections from 7 to 9 previously unreleased.

Flac Size: 567 MB

05. LUTHER ALLISON - BLUE STREAK 1995

                       

A follow-up to his previous Soul Fixin' Man (which uses the same personnel and may be from the same

sessions), bluesman guitarist/singer Luther Allison is in top form throughout this well-rounded set. Allison wrote (or co-wrote with guitarist James Solberg) all but one of the dozen songs, and these range from heated blues struts to blues ballads. Recommended to fans of lowdown, intense Chicago blues.
               

Luther Allison – Blue Streak
Label: Alligator Records – ALCD 4834
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1995
Genre: Blues
Style: Chicago Blues, Electric Blues

TRACKS

                      

01. All The King's Horses    5:37
02. What Have I Done Wrong?    4:48
03. Big City    5:23
04. Move From The 'Hood    3:42
05. What's Going On In My Home?    4:07
06. I Believe In You    4:36
07. Cherry Red Wine (Watching You)    4:21
08. Walking Papers    4:28
09. Think With Your Heart    4:570
10. You Don't Know    2:47
11. Should I Wait?    5:04
12. Midnight Creeper    3:37

LINE  - UP

Backing Vocals – Jacqueline Johnson (tracks: 12), Jacquelyn Reddick (tracks: 12)
Bass – Dave Smith (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 12), Ken Faltinson (tracks: 7, 8)
Drums – Robb Stupka (tracks: 7, 8), Steve Potts (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 12)
Executive-Producer – Thomas Ruf
Guitar – James Solberg
Guitar, Vocals – Luther Allison
Keyboards – Ernest Williamson (tracks: 1 to 6, 9 to 12), Mike Vlahakis (tracks: 7, 8)
Piano – Bruce McCabe (tracks: 11)
Rhythm Guitar – Charlie Bingham (tracks: 8)
Tenor Saxophone – Andrew Love (tracks: 5, 9, 10, 12)
Trumpet, Trombone – Wayne Jackson (tracks: 5, 9, 10, 12)

Flac Size: 352 MB

06. LUTHER ALLISON - WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? (LIVE IN MONTREUX 1976 - 1994) 1996

                   

Where Have You Been? Live in Montreux 1976-1994 features the exciting blues guitarist/singer Luther Allison on selections taken from four appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Although the title says 1974-1994, the earliest numbers are actually from 1976, and these are the most memorable cuts on the

CD. Even when sticking to cover tunes throughout the powerhouse performance (such as "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Little Red Rooster"), Allison plays with such enthusiasm and ferocity that he sounds as if he wrote the songs himself. Among the other highlights, Allison is heard on his 1983 set closer "Sky Is Crying," shouting out a Memphis soul-type ballad ("Memories") in 1984 and sounding remarkably close to B.B. King at times during 1994's "Bad Love" (which has background riffs from the Memphis Horns). This is a strong (and easily recommended) all-around overview that can serve as a perfect introduction to the talented Luther Allison.
             

Luther Allison – Where Have You Been? (Live In Montreux 1976 - 1994)
Label: Ruf Records – Ruf 1008
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: Germany
Released: 1996
Genre: Blues
Style: Electric Blues, Chicago Blues

TRACKS

                    

01. Introduction   2:19
Written-By – Luther Allison
02. Gamblers Blues   6:50
Written-By – Otis Rush
03. Sweet Home Chicago   5:08
Written-By – Robert Johnson
04. Same Thing   8:27
Written-By – Willie Dixon
05. Little Red Rooster   11:30
Written-By – Willie Dixon
06. Sky Is Crying   7:40
Written-By – Elmore James
07. Back Down South   4:00
Written-By – Luther Allison
08. Memories   5:53
Written-By – Luther Allison
09. Spontaneous Improvisation   5:15
Written-By – Luther Allison
10. Bad News Is Coming   7:30
Written-By – Luther Allison
11. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is   5:20
Written-By – James Solberg, Luther Allison
12. Bad Love   9:40
Written-By – James Solberg, Luther Allison
13. Audience (1976)    0:19

LINE - UP

Electric Guitar, Vocals – Luther Allison
Bass – David Hood (tracks: 7 to 10), Dave Smith (tracks: 11, 12), Jeff Aldrich (tracks: 1 to 5), Mike Morrison (tracks: 6)
Drums – Jay Mattes (tracks: 1 to 6), Roger Hawkins (tracks: 7 to 10), Yvette Preyer (tracks: 11, 12)
Guitar – James Solberg (tracks: 1 to 5, 11, 12)
Keyboards – Larry Byrne (tracks: 1 to 5), Michel Carras (tracks: 6 to 10)
Organ – Barry Becket (tracks: 7 to 10), Ernest Williamson (tracks: 11, 12)
Rhythm Guitar – Jimmy Johnson  (tracks: 7 to 10)
Saxophone – Andrew Love (tracks: 11, 12), Richard Drake (tracks: 1 to 5)
Trumpet – Wayne Jackson (tracks: 11, 12)

NOTES

Recorded At – Montreux Jazz Festival
Tracks 1 to 5, 13: Recorded 1976.
Track 6: Recorded 1983.
Tracks 7 to 10: Recorded 1984.
Tracks 11 to 12: Recorded 1994.

Flac Size: 520 MB

07. LUTHER ALLISON - LIVE IN CHICAGO 1999

            

Pulled from performances at the Chicago Blues Festival, Buddy Guy's Legends club with a couple of strays recorded in Lincoln, NE, that were too good not to include, this two-disc set captures Allison at

the absolute peak of his powers. Disc one is the Chicago Blues Festival in its entirety with a bonus track of Luther jamming on the finale with Otis Rush and Eddie C. Campbell on a medley of two B.B. King tunes. Disc two is equally potent, a combination of performances pulled from Buddy Guy's Legends club and the Zoo Bar in Lincoln, NE. Luther simply played his heart and spirit out right to the end and these recordings spotlight it in a very fine manner. One of the label's best.

                

Luther Allison – Live In Chicago
Label: Ruf Records – RUF 1042
Format: 2 x CD, Album
Country: Germany
Released: 1999
Genre: Blues
Style: Electric Blues, Chicago Blues

CD1.

                     

01. Intro   0:23
MC – Tom Marker
02. Soul Fixin' Man   4:03
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
03. Cherry Red Wine   8:36
Written-By – Allison
04. Move From The Hood   4:48
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
05. Bad Love   10:16
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
06. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is   6:00
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
07. Big City   9:07
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
08. Give Me Back My Wig   5:22
Written-By – Taylor
09. It Hurts Me Too   7:40
Written-By – Whittaker
10. Medley: Gambler's Blues/Sweet Little Angel   (10:25)
Baritone Saxophone – Willie Henderson
Bass – Leonard Gill
Drums – Ray Stewart
Keyboards – Dave Rice
Lead Guitar [Center], Vocals [Center] – Otis Rush
Lead Guitar [Left] – Eddie C. Campbell
Lead Guitar [Right], Vocals [Right] – Luther Allison
Rhythm Guitar – John Kattke
Tenor Saxophone – Bobby Neely
Trumpet – Ken Anderson
10.1.Gambler's Blues
Written-By – King, Pate
10.2.Sweet Little Angel
Written-By – Bogan

Flac Size: 468 MB

CD2.

             

01. Party Time   5:20
Written-By – Allison
02. All The King's Horses   12:19
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
03. What Have I Done Wrong?   7:10
Written-By – Maghett
04. Walking Papers   6:48
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
05. Think With Your Heart   6:27
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
06. What's Going On In My Home?   7:13
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
07. Will It Ever Change?   5:48
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
08. You're Gonna Make Me Cry   8:26
Written-By – Malone
09. Everything's Gonna Be All Right   5:30
Written-By – Jacobs

Flac Size: 431 MB

08. LUTHER ALLISON - SONGS FROM THE ROAD 2009

                 

The great blues singer and guitarist Luther Allison died in August of 1997, just a month after being

diagnosed with a malignant lung tumor. Four days prior to that diagnosis, he played a blistering show in Montreal; it was filmed for later airplay on Canadian television, and most of the show is captured on this very fine CD/DVD set (several of the songs not included on the CD are covered on the DVD and vice-versa). The bitter irony is obvious here -- Allison is at the peak of his powers, and yet at the same time, it could be said that he's playing like a man with only weeks to live.
                  

The urgency and fire of his playing and singing on numbers like his slide showcase "It Hurts Me Too," and the powerfully swinging, barrelhouse blues of "Will It Ever Change" and "You Can, You Can" would put musicians half his age to shame. But what really sets him apart is the relentlessly positive

nature of his message: whether preaching social uplift on "Move from the Hood" or entreating a reluctant lover on "You Can, You Can," Allison always seems to be encouraging and exhorting more than pleading or bemoaning. His "talking guitar" shtick is charming, his slide playing is beautifully greasy, and the gleeful disregard with which he struts back and forth over the lines that separate the blues from R&B and rock is inspiring. Songs from the Road is a bittersweet but more than welcome look back at one of America's lost musical treasures.
                 

Luther Allison – Songs From The Road
Label: Ruf Records – RUF 1157
Series: Songs From The Road (2)
Format: CD, DVD
Country: Germany
Released: 2009
Genre: Blues
Style: Chicago Blues

TRACKS

                      

01. Cancel My Check
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
02. Living In The House Of The Blues
Written-By – Williams
03. What Have I Done Wrong
Arranged By – Allison
04. Will It Ever Change
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
05. You Can, You Can
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
06. There Comes A Time
Written-By – Solberg, Allison
07. (Watching You) Cherry Red Wine
Written-By – Allison
08. Low Down And Dirty
Written-By – Bernard Allison
09. It Hurts Me Too
Written-By – Whittaker
10. Serious
Written-By – Allison, Carras

LINE - UP

Vocals, Guitar – Luther Allison
Bass – Ken Faltinson
Drums – Rob Stupka
Guitar – James Solberg
Keyboards – Mike Vlahakis

NOTES

Recorded at one of Luther's last performances at the Montreal International Jazz Festival on July 4, 1997.
Track CD-4 is listed as "That Ain't The Way Things S'posed To Be" but it is "Will It Ever Change"

Flac Size: 486 MB