Long John Hunter Ooh Wee Pretty Baby (blues)(mp3@320)[rogercc][h33t]

LONG JOHN HUNTER OOH WEE PRETTY BABY
Released: 1986 (Vinyl)
Label: Norton
Format:[email protected]



For much too long, the legend of Long John Hunter was largely a local one, limited to the border town region between El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico. That's where the guitarist reigned for 13 years (beginning in 1957) at Juarez's infamous Lobby Bar. Its riotous, often brawling clientele included locals, cowboys, soldiers from nearby Fort Bliss, frat boys, and every sort of troublemaking tourist in between. Hunter kept 'em all entertained with his outrageous showmanship and slashing guitar riffs.

The Louisiana native got a late start on his musical career. When he was 22 and toiling away in a Beaumont, Texas box factory, he attended a B.B. King show and was instantly transfixed. The next day, he bought a guitar. A year later, he was starring at the same bar that B.B. had headlined. Hunter's 1954 debut single for Don Robey's Houston-based Duke label, "She Used to Be My Woman"/"Crazy Baby," preceded his move to El Paso in 1957. Along the way, Phillip Walker and Lonnie Brooks both picked up on his licks. But Hunter's recording output was slim -- a few hot but obscure singles waxed from 1961 to 1963 for the tiny Yucca logo out of Alamogordo, New Mexico (standouts include "El Paso Rock," "Midnight Stroll," and "Border Town Blues"). Perhaps he was just too busy -- he held court at the Lobby seven nights a week from sundown to sunup.



Tracklist:
1. El Paso Rock 2:32
2. Ride With Me Baby 1:58
3. Border Town Blues 2:48
4. Flippin' Fingers 2:04
5. Midnight Stroll 2:34
6. Hey Mrs. Jones 2:18
7. Shuffle Out 2:02
8. School Girl 2:04
9. So Long 2:07
10. Betty Lou 2:22
11. Strange Feeling 2:13
12. Grandma 2:04
13. I Wanna Love You 2:34
14. Old Red 2:43
15. Stop What You're Doin' 1:51
16. Ole Rattler 2:25
17. Slash 1:57
18. I Don't Care 2:43 (vocals Dennis Roberts)