Customer Reviews

Ain't a Gonna Lie to You [Vinyl]

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Joe Callicott, who died a few years after these recordings were made at his home in Nesbit, Mississippi in the late 1960s, played guitar and sang in a less intense style than that of the classic Delta bluesmen. These fingerpicked blues, ballads and spirituals are more in the style of Mississippi John Hurt or the older Memphis songsters like Jim Jackson. All the songs are enjoyable; the best of them, like "Laughing to Keep From Crying" and "France Chance" (covered by Ry Cooder) are really outstanding and moving. Callicott was the teacher of Kenny Brown, best known as R. L. Burnside's second guitarist; on his recent Fat Possum CD "Stingray" Brown covers four of these songs. A great CD, but beware: six of these tracks appeared on Arhoolie's "Mississippi Delta Blues: Blow My Blues Away Vol. 2," although the sound is more vibrant here. The Arhoolie CD, if you can still get it, contains five Callicott tracks which do not appear on "Ain't A Gonna Lie To You."

Although Callicott's guitar playing skills had diminished since the 1920s and 1930s, he has an archaic, homely and beautiful voice on this disc. It's a highly enjoyable album, especially considering how it comes from Fat Possum Records, who is not known to produce good material, or material that can even be deemed Blues. "Frankie And Albert" is wonderful, but, really, every track is a keeper. It's a shame that the liner notes are so skimpy, but the packaging is still very nice. Fat Possum's McDowell and Furry Lewis albums are also great. Callicott seems to be a mixture of John Hurt and Frank Stokes in terms of vocals.

I fell in love with Joe Callicot's voice the minute I heard it. He is so soothing and just makes it enjoyable to sit on the porch, rocking and totally listening to the deep rythym of his voice. I only wish this wonderful man had made more records; and to think he quit playing! If you love something relaxing and just listening to the music and incredible voice, you will love this album, I do.