Shotgun Blues

Lightnin Hopkins recorded Shotgun Blues at Commercial Recording Studio in Houston on February 25 1948, singing and accompanying himself on guitar. The recording was later issued by Aladdin with Rollin Blues as the B-side. Released by Aladdin in 1950, Shotgun Blues reached number 5 on the Billboard R&B chart. It became Hopkins biggest national chart hit and helped establish his stark Texas solo blues style beyond the regional market. Shotgun Blues remained one of the key Aladdin sides in Hopkins early catalogue and appeared on later collections of his complete Aladdin recordings. Its spare vocal and guitar attack helped define the direct, conversational approach that made Hopkins one of the most recorded postwar blues artists.