Working For Lightnin' Hopkins

[@lightnin7537]

Thank you for these types of interviews Otis! I'm only 47 years old, and never got to see him play live, but Lightnin' is my all time favorite artist. I've read books on him and watched everything there is on YT. These Wrecks Bell stories give us a new insight into the man and the legend that was Samuel Lightnin' Hopkins. Great to see these stories being archived and added to the history books.

[@alanedmonds4272]

To play with Lightnin', the rhythm section-and especially the bass player-had be sharp on the chord changes because "Lightnin" changes when Lightnin' want to change." Great story & great video, Otis!

[@scottbee501]

I’m 70, I was at a stop light, in the Midwest summertime, with Lightnin on the CD. The guy in a car next to me yells “who the hell is that?” I said, Lightnin and he gave me a thumbs up.

[@stevevice9863]

Love these insider interviews! Wrecks has lived an interesting life.

[@boojum402]

Holy shit. I had no idea that Wrecks Bell was still alive. Ride the blue wind high and free!

[@tkreitler]

There must've been something special in that Texas water. So many legends came out of Texas and there seems to be some similarities amongst them, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is. Thank you Wrecks for giving some insight for those of us who couldn't experience it firsthand.

[@uilleachan]

Good to see Wrecks still kicking! Willie from Scotland sending regards...

[@billyshane3804]

Love your work Otis. Everything you post is absolutely dynamite.

[@lilburro3]

Dang you're on fire with these videos lately Otis! Great stuff my friend! Hearing about the wah peddle reminds me of the John Lee Hooker album Born in Mississippi, Raised Up In Tennessee. It's such an odd album for JLH filled with jam sessions using fiddle and saxophone, but it's one if my favorite oddities ever.

[@TheAlienJones]

Too cool Otis. Looking forward to more Wrecks Bell stories for sure!

[@peppik]

Great stories from the good ol' times ...

[@jeffclement2468]

I saw American Blues at a little "hippie" club called Love Street Light Circus here in Houston (69?) Foggy memory, tho I was totally straight (too young). But I remember they did have a keyboard player. I think his name was (Something) Lanier. He played in a local teen band Neil Ford and the Fanatics. I also remember being mostly impressed by Gibbons using the bottom of his fringe leather strap to whip the strings! Purely accidental seeing them...we'd catch the bus downtown and see whoever was playing. Johnny Winter was another one, but that's another story. Magical times! 😻✌

[@MichaelHattem]

I've listened to and read everything about Lightnin' and Townes for nearly 30 years so when he said "the wah wah fiasco" I cracked up just thinking of Lightnin' using a wah pedal, and when he said, "it was as bad as Townes's fiddle playing" I nearly fell over. It's amazing how this feels like hearing great stories about old friends of yours. Thanks, Otis!

[@stevewuertz3598]

Rex-I wonder if I saw you with Lighti' back in the day. I saw Lightin' one time-Year Years Eve 12/31/73 at Mother Blues in Dallas. It was my first live music show in a club. My first live music experience was a free outdoor park show with Freddie King the previous spring. . We were 17 and Texas had just changed to an 18 year old drinking law and were getting admittance based on a modified student library card (thanks to friends on the YearBook staff). I wish we had not imbibed that night so I'd have a clearer memory. I've some old late 50s Vinyl I found back in HS days and some reissue CDs. Especially liked the stuff on Aladdin records. Great interview-thanks to both of you

[@sayeager5559]

That was some ZZ Top history I had never heard. Wrecks is just amazing.

[@patrickcoughlin3564]

Great stuff Otis , lighten'in is still an American treasure

[@a.m.phaneuf6164]

Saw him do a solo acoustic set at a small club, southern cal. Great gig.

[@joyceb.sachsesachse1242]

OTIS, you cannot get any better with these INTERVIEWS, thank you for giving these greats the time to tell the inside stories , before they go . These will go down in history as the greatest interviews 50 yrs from now... Luv you for you're time doing it.

[@bjorntannberg1581]

Wonderful. I love the story about the wah wah pedal 😄

[@williamperkins7318]

Love the happy dogs in the end.

[@clevelandthomsen7042]

Love these. Gotta put on my one Lightnin record when I get home.

[@adirondacktrekking1972]

Thank you very much 🙏I’ve been a lightnin fan for some time and hearing the personal touches brought it home 👍

[@scottkidwellmusic9175]

Thank you, Otis 🙏🏻 Another great interview and wonderful stories from Wrecks Be good to you 🤍💛

[@ypaulbrown]

Love LIghtin" Hopkins....thanks for sharing

[@mikes9759]

Man I love the old stories!!!! This is back when I listened to a lot of different people and go to clubs and talked and did shit we shouldn't have like you mentioned!! Ha Ha Ha! Damn it was a lot of fun! Wish I could still do it!!!! Great Vid guys!!

[@jammininthepast]

Lightnin', what a great...nuff said.

[@dogpaw775]

this stuff is priceless.

[@rogerwilliams2629]

Great, great interview!! I've seen Rocky a couple of times in the old days

[@Kralphrn]

Love these interviews Otis!

[@otisgibbs]

What's your favorite Lightnin' Hopkins song/performance? Did you ever see him live?

[@travisthornton1792]

My grandfather used to sneak into clubs to see Lightnin’ play before integration in Houston. He would also see Lightnin’ playing guitar on the street sitting on a box during the week, just to make a little extra money - and he’d stop to listen to him then, too. This was in the early ‘50s. Years ago when my grandfather was visiting, I put on a Lightnin’ record that took him by surprise. (Pretty sure it was “Bud Russell Blues.”) He stopped and stared into the mid-distance before smiling and telling me the aforementioned story. My grandfather is 88 years old and having eye surgery today. 🙏 Thank you, Otis, for these Rex Bell interviews!

[@John_Chu]

"Back Door Friend," Otis. Love your channel. BTW, the Les Blank docu on Lightnin' is just awesome. Hope you've had a chance to watch it.

[@gamoonbat]

I like "Black Cadillac" - You know the rubber on the wheel is faster than the rubber on the heel.

[@DebiusCooperius]

Hard to beat "Lonesome Dog Blues" for me. Such a bitching song with a real raw sound.

[@garthkolbeck8674]

Meet Me At The Chicken Shack with Spider Kilpatrick on that great shuffle...

[@CreativeWarrior-]

Thanks Rick!!

[@bglrj]

As always, thank you.

[@otisgibbs]

Ways to support this channel. www.patreon.com/otisgibbs kzbin.info/door/YX2... Tip jar for anyone who wants to help support this channel. paypal.me/otisgibbs?locale.x=... www.venmo.com/OtisGibbs Paypal: @otisgibbs Venmo: @OtisGibbs

[@backinblack1982]

Do you have any stories of or history pertaining to Roky Erickson or the 13th Floor Elevators?

[@kmac1766]

“Take it, Rick!”😝😝😝

[@doughill8475]

Favorites? All the songs on his album "Blue Lightnin'" especially Back Door Friend and Found My Baby Cryin'. A favorite LP of mine for 50 years or so. BTW, I'm sure I'm missing something obvious, but who is Rocky? Surely not Roky Erickson.

[@TheZeekgeek1]

Cool factor x 1000

[@hazegreen1896]

lightnin was the best, he is still under rated imo. People should look up the footage of him and Mance done be Les Blank it should be in the Smithsonian. Also Rocky was quite a guitar player. Id like to imagine what a lightnin tour of Japan would be like. lol. that 13 bar thing reminds me of all the times I saw JL Hooker, I would just be watching the bass and guitar player waiting to see when they should go to A.

[@Taine2]

Rex. How come you don’t mention Seab Meador who was the guitar player in American Blues about 1969? Rocky came aboard after that. Seab later put together The Werewolves with Brian Papageorge after Billy joined Dusty and Frank and became ZZ Top. In fact, Seab was also in The Fake Zombies with Dusty and Frank before both The Top and The Werewolves.

[@kmaher1424]

Great to hear from Rex. He mentioned Mickey White, half the Hemer Ridge Mt Boys Have you read The Other Mickey? In which Mickey writes about backing Lightnin and Townes. And other memories of The Old Days....

[@donlangford1969]

Ole wrecks will fool you he's a fine singer and picker in his own right.

[@LicksoftheLegend]

Could you ask him about why he painted his nails? Townes said it was how he learned to play bass but for the life of me I’ve never understood it.

[@gravy3858]

“Okay Rick!”

[@BrianKlobyGuitar]

Cool :)

[@CommieGobbledygook]

Playing with Lightning. Great old chunk of coal story.

[@AndySalinger33]

“It was as bad as Townes’s fiddle playing”!!! 😂😂 thanks, “Rick”. 🤘

[@bogthing1]

Bet them dogs keep the postman honest.

[@williampitzer5534]

👍

[@darrylhudson4499]

It was as bad as Towne’s fiddle playin’!

[@kennethhoneycutt4513]

I love lightning Hopkins his music is awesome Love this story That's pretty cool Love your channel and your content you always come up with the best stories I've even listened to some about people I've really never heard of just to hear the stories you can't beat a good storyteller especially when it's true

[@dogfase515]

And he never drank during a gig again.

[@donscott763]

my comment died I think.

[@robertcox14]

The photo for this video includes a cigarette, it doesn't look original. Is somebody workin' for the man, doing propaganda?

[@later_daze_4080]

This is awesome.

[@johndeneka4708]

I gotta get me one of those Townes t shirts. To cool. Love the yarn.