The greatness of Lightnin Hopkins

In this video I compiled brief interviews with Jimmie Vaughan and B. B. King talking about Lighnin Hopkins and his fundamental role in the history of blues music. These are followed by three videos showing Lightnin' Hopkins performing "Lightnin's Blues", "Mojo Hand" and "What'd I say?"

[@felineth56]

Who ever wanting to learn Blues guitar, Lightin' Hopkins should be your first teacher!

[@dontaylor7315]

I loved Lightnin' from the first time I heard him on a jukebox but I had to start somewhere easier so I studied Jimmy Reed first.

[@donniechalk3018]

Real Talk

[@Sldumas1983]

💯

[@theartfuldodger935]

word.

[@curtisk2286]

Good info

[@davidwalker5054]

Lightnin was late for a concert once. And the promoter said to one of the backing band. Where is he has he not got a watch. The band member said lightnin dont need no watch. Lightnin decides what time it is.

[@freddymclain]

I got to play bass with him once. I learned immediately that Lightnin's 12-bar blues might be 19 bars, or 21 bars. i.e.,he went to the 4 chord when he felt like it. You had to be on your toes.

[@aldito7586]

BB KING. "Lightnin didn't put sugar on it" "He just played it".

[@JohnnyRebKy]

Lightnin still hits me like lightin. Lawd have mercy! My family was all white farm folks from the south and they were into bluegrass and old country but I always recognized where it came from….BLUES. No blues…no country. Besides as Lightnin said that country music ain’t nothin but white folks blues anyway 👍🏻. So this ole farm boy definitely knows the blues. Thank you Lightnin’!

[@omairsh8]

BB King looking like a professor of History

[@odietamo9376]

Lightnin’ Hopkins truly had a spark of the divine. What an artist.

[@Suchapill]

Sounds like Lightnin was the understructure. That's a wonderful thing to be.

[@GuitarlosCarlos]

HEY HEY LIGHTING AT 10 YEARS OLD I'D PLAY HIS SONGS ALL DAMN DAY LONG I'LL ALWAYS LOVE THE STYLE OF THE MAN LIGHTNING HOPKINS I'M 70 NOW, I STILL PLAY IT CARLOS GUITARLOS 90042

[@davidwalker5054]

Lightnin was so cool you could ice skate on him

[@brucecall1595]

The proto type for the delta blues. Great pickin and sangin. Lightnin is just as good today.

[@brady_pearson]

I’m just telling everyone reading the comments right now, if you can play, improv finger pick and groove like this I promise it’s so rewarding and will ALWAYS be better than strumming wonder wall at the campfire

[@apfg1870]

the king of all blues kings unquestionably

[@WhizMitchell]

This is great. True Blues. Not many of the real players around anymore. Thankfully film has captured these greats while they were still alive and relevant.

[@lesrinehart933]

R. I. P. Great Man from a fellow Texan

[@jonasulfsfalt4451]

One of the Best in the History of Blues

[@Colinshreds69]

Thee best

[@stevetessier6568]

Both Sam Hopkins, and his brother Joel Hopkins. Were close good friends, of my Great Grandfather John B. Orr. Often they would come for Barbacue and entertain at a country dance at Centerville Texas. Where my Grandfather's horse ranch and farm was. God bless the Hopkins Brothers eternal souls.....!! ♥️♥️

[@Edudigitalperu]

Im from southamerica ( Perú) , but i grow up with this music. The soul of every musician light my life. this video should have millions of likes

[@robertbentzel8105]

That’s the sound man!!!

[@enorbet2]

Lightnin.... always flashin in the zone and brightening up the skies

[@hoytpollock6914]

He’s the best to ever do it

[@goldtonerecords3984]

He was such a guitar wizard

[@kevingoodson9042]

I'm diggin' me some Lightnin'.

[@eaglesonmusicgroupltdeagle8138]

I heard lightnin . Something blue album in 81. Then when stevie came around i could hear the influence and once i heard freddie king i knew he was hip too. Lightnin is evident in a lotta bluesmen And i cant say there is any who were any betta that sam. .

[@nightowl1962]

When that watch stops tickin your times up boy.

[@stuartwallace6154]

Happy 111th birthday lighting

[@gregfechik4275]

And that voice.

[@wclyne]

LIGHTNIN IS BACK !!! I SAW HIM LATE 60'S WILL NEVER FORGET. DRESSED TO THE 9'S: RED SPORT COAT, WHITE SHIRT YELLOW PANTS, PATEN LEATHER SHOES, COOL FEDORA. GQ DUDE GETTIN IT ON ! HIS OWN PERSON TO THE END ! I LOVE THIS GUY AND TRY TO PLAY LIKE HIM.

[@jessedevilbiss8436]

My dad did amazing covers and could sing like him too. Amazing talent. Rest in peace to both.

[@dr.buzzvonjellar8862]

I’m glad we have this footage

[@tns4421]

So B.B.King likes Lightning....ok I can understand the electrifying situation!!!!

[@daddyjohn1893]

Sam was one of the very best - such a style, and a look, and that VOICE! Thanks for this excellent tribute.

[@theherbpuffer]

No one played the guitar like him. That paired with his amazing voice puts him in a league of his own.

[@christopherfreeman2767]

@@theherbpuffer Remember also Lightnin banged on the piano.I guess so his guitar could rest Lol it needed a day off ya know

[@noobicore6859]

The all time quintessential blues man ...

[@mikegammon9450]

One man band.

[@nkululekonazo5755]

That guitar 🎸 riff is really good

[@raoufbasit]

Thanks for this great upload. This is a treasure

[@tpatton6773]

"💓" miss them days of true soul!

[@dalerobertson4662]

I like this. There is a film teaser with a photo of me when I was 15 years old on the steps of a bar setting next to Papa Sam, Mance Lipscomb and another fellow blues man with this footage in it. I am Dale Robertson. I knew Towns , Stevie, and Jimmie showed me some stuff out back of the OLd Quarter bar one day. And of course Bianca "Ellis" Deleon whom I still in touch with. Miss my pappa Lightnin.

[@nightowl1962]

Ive gotta say i really love the music that the black comunity created back then. It just sounds so damn good you cant help but to move along with the groove. The jazz, the blues, they put a whole new swang to it.

[@BlueBeeMCMLXI]

"I play my own own." Yep. Thank God.

[@damianbowyer6258]

Just Brilliant.

[@comparedtowhat2719]

... now that's Gospel!

[@NoRosesForMe]

RIP B.B. and of course Sam :))

[@Colinshreds69]

Thee best ever.

[@paulhasenauer4166]

Powerful voice!! The guitar and his voice just blend in a powerful way!!!🎸🙏🏽😎

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

So smooth and natural. His version of "What'd I Say" is impeccable. Fantastic musician.

[@HoustonR6ryda]

thanks for this -he is was distant relative from east Texas

[@CptEtgar]

iv'e read the Greatness of Lightnin' Hopkins influenced the Great Tom Waits may the Lord bless the name .

[@alisonoverton]

what an absolute master. thanks for posting. :)

[@thebeatcreeper]

Completely unique and beautiful , my first record was a Lightnin' Hopkins LP : )

[@ronk2577]

Wow you knew how to spend your money. If you grew up poor like I did an album was a big thing.i never could manage to save 4 or 5 bucks and ended up always buying a 45

[@thebeatcreeper]

@@ronk2577 I was around 12/13 and a friend of my step dads gave me that record, he saw my enthusiasm for it then amazingly he gave me a load more, a couple more Lightnin' Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, Clarence Gatemouth Brown....when I started playing guitar more a few of my Mum's hippie friends gave me records and tapes, I was lucky. That Lightnin' Hopkins record was the first record I could call my own, the first record I bought was a Jimi Hendrix compilation and my step dad made me dig a ditch in the back garden, took me a few weeks but each week I'd go and look at the record in the window of the shop counting down the days until I'd be able to buy it.

[@Albert-lm4ik]

Badass

[@patrickferlet9086]

extraordinaire ! fantastique Blues Man

[@544cachito]

That guitar has a sweet tone.....

[@patersondave44]

i expected more testimony, but i still watched it through to the end

[@bryant6pac]

this is life in the life of the beleivers

[@victorreyes1329]

Great video! Real cool.

[@perryvalton4245]

Lightnin was doing it years before Jimi Hendrix.

[@briangennardo6937]

So good

[@Maki.1028]

ずっと見てたい 聴いていたい✨🤎😆

[@LutherAmosHouse]

Lightin' never seemed to be just "playing" the guitar, he was working on it, like a mechanic looking at a new "fangled" car, the basic pieces were still there but, the the engineers added some stuff. Only way I can describe his playing.

[@FirstUsedBooks]

Great! Thank you.

[@mississippibluestravellers5440]

Good video. Thanks for posting this.

[@edwardtedesco5388]

I think i have been struck by lightening !😎

[@lilSnubby]

Gotta have him playing the piano too

[@nightowl1962]

Once they said i feel said then they said im down in the dumps then they said theyve got a cais of the blues now they say theyve got depression. Nothin like the old days when the blues played thruout the streets of louisiana. Nothin like the good ol days.

[@charliemudgett8850]

This guy influence me

[@dupreeblues4744]

I agree

[@J.OKRoadrunner]

I left a guitar pick at Lightnin’s grave

[@michaellorah9051]

I might be getting the same model of guitar soon that Jimmie Vaughan is playing at the beginning of this.

[@strawberryroan1941]

Michael Lorah if i may ask? What model is that? It looks and sounds really good but i have never seen one like it!

[@bignoyz4111]

Lawd have Mercy!

[@harrykuheim6107]

Beware of buying another guitar to sound better...these old Blues Guys all and learned and played on cheap guitars...they Buzzed and were often out of tune too.

[@lesrinehartlr]

Sho...nuff

[@kevinogracia1615]

Killer.

[@murattaner7384]

Does anybody have a version of Guitar Lightnin' with elecric guitar, electric bass, drums AND harmonica?

[@TheClemcaster]

Hey KZbin! Please get back to where were; these advertisements are a fucking pain.

[@shelbylawson5130]

I just wander how Hank Williams sr enjoyed lightning I no Hank loved the blues

[@4runnerJr]

What kind of guitar was Jimmy V playing ? Does anyone know?

[@user-kh8qx1gt2l]

It's a Kay K150 semi acoustic 1951 with a Jimmy Reed pickup.

[@tomasspanne8190]

Nice Jimmy! How's Lou Anne?

[@goodsportfilms3084]

Do you got the whole video? Can you please upload?

[@alicevolk1262]

@1:00 I don't wanna piss on yer chips buddy but Big Bill Broonzy also did it. The two of them played this style of hard picking, one man rhythm section Blues. It was the style of the day, a bit more rock and roll. Yer right though, they was doing it back in the fifties, before the folk guys. If you like this Po' Lightnin' much as I do, check out Big Bill too... kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYSrc5aFrs-mi80

[@gagemartin8027]

What key does he play in

[@marciaewell2661]

E, key of blues

[@thomaskline]

Your wrong Jimmy. Listen to Big Bill Broonzy. Man that was one of his favorite licks. I loved Lightning saw him 3 times in Boston in the 60’s. I had a record titled Muddy Sings Big Bill. He couldn’t praise Bill more.