Artists don’t become legends overnight.
Unless you count American Idol, Rising Star and all that other crap.
Then again, don’t get me started on that “shite”
No, you get your dues when you pay your dues.
These two releases will begin Stony Plain’s best of compilation series.
What a way to start.
The very cool liner notes, by label head Holger Peterson are very insightful and often moving.
It adds to the package in a big way.
My 12 cd changer in the vehicle is never without a Joe Luis Walker cd.
That’s a fact. I love his work as whole albums.
Having said that you simply cannot go wrong with tracks like Highview with Duke Robillard, the excellent solos on Hustlin, or the simply coolness factors of tracks like Eyes Like a Cat, the live Slow Down GTO, or the matter of fact blues belt of I’m Tied.
Why not end with the great soul of Witness, one of my fave soul vocals of all time.
It hits me emotionally every time.
Honestly folks if you don’t know JLW this is a great place to start.
Long John Baldry’s voice was and still is a force of nature.
There is no other way to put it.
If you have heard Jack White’ Little Willie John cover of I’m Shakin then you must hear the LJB version on this cd
Just listen to the superb musicianship on Easy Street, Midnight Hour Blues, the wicked shuffle of Gallows Pole and the oh so excellent Time’s Getting Tougher Than Tough with Jimmy Witherspoon
Talk about killer!!!
Fans will also love to check out the great guitar work of Papa John King and the always spine tingling vocals of Kathi McDonald
BTW…..I still own my two vinyl copies of It Ain’t Easy and Everything Stops For Tea
JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, online radio host and songwriter/guitarist/vocalist with Canadian Blues Rockers THE SHAFTMEN … the band’s latest cd is here
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/the-worlds-gone-crazy/id673101570
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JOHN EMMS MUSIC REVIEWS 
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