Joined at the Hip

Pinetop Perkins (Artist), Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 8, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B003E6YB8Y
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,463 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2011 GRAMMY NOMINEE: BEST TRADITIONAL BLUES ALBUM

Pianist Pinetop Perkins is one of the true originals. With his 100th birthday on the not-too-distant horizon, he is one of the last blues musicians who can legitimately claim direct roots in the Delta blues of the 1930s - a period that spawned such giants as Robert Johnson, Honeyboy Edwards and other titans of the of the deep South who laid the foundation for the blues as we know them today.

Born Willie Perkins in Belzoni, Mississippi, in July 1913, Pinetop has compiled a resume that spans nearly eighty years - as a guitarist and a pianist, then moving over to exclusively piano, following a knifing in 1942. One of the obvious highlights is his stint with Muddy Waters band for more than a decade. From 1969 through the early `80s, Perkins was an integral part of Muddy's powerhouse combo that dominated the urbanized, electrified post-World War II blues scene. It was during these years that he forged an enduring friendship and prolific creative bond with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, then the drummer in Muddy's band.

The most recent chapter in this longstanding alliance is Joined at the Hip, a collaborative project shared by Pinetop and Smith. It was at the suggestion of manager Patricia Morgan that the two collaborate, with producer Michael Freeman offering the inspired title. The album is a mix of material written by Smith, along with a few chestnuts from the annals of Delta and Chicago blues.

Although Smith spent much of his earlier years behind the drum kit, Joined at the Hip solidifies Willie's skills on the harp, developed over the last five years, along with handling the majority of the vocals. But regardless of Smith's role in the band, the connection between him and Pinetop borders on the telepathic, and is evident among the 13 effortless tracks on this new recording.

"They've been the greatest of friends and musical partners for such a long time," says Michael Freeman, who co-produced Pinetop's star-studded 2008 Telarc release, Pinetop Perkins and Friends. "There's just so much between them that goes unspoken onstage and in the recording process. Each knows exactly what the other is going to do at any given moment. It's just what comes with playing with somebody for that long."

Pinetop will turn 97 just a few weeks after the release of Joined at the Hip, and he will continue to defy the years by performing and touring - not just in the States but around the world. All of which begs the obvious question: what keeps this living national treasure motivated and inspired?

"It's the music," says Freeman. "It's the ability to play the music, and the ability to continue to do so in front of audiences all over the world. That keeps him going. I can't imagine Pinetop without his music. When I visited him at his home in Austin a few years ago, I discovered that after he's up and around at the beginning of his day, the first thing he does is tinker around on the piano. He's always playing. He's past the point where he's saying things like, `I'm going to be 97 this summer.' Now he merely says, `I'm going to be 100 soon.' He's planning on getting there."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 170 years of playing the blues and still not stoppin' these guys!, June 26, 2010

By 

Steven I. Ramm "Steve Ramm "Anything Phon... (Phila, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Joined at the Hip (Audio CD)

Willie "Pinetop" Perkins will be 97 years old in July and has been tickling the ivories for over 80 years. Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - now 73 years old - spent two long stints as the drummer for Muddy Waters (where Perkins had a long stint too) but went back to blues harp playing a few years ago. (That's where he started his career.). These two guys hit the studio earlier this year to make this album and it sounds like they are half their age. Smith's son, Kenny, sits in on the drums for this session.

Smith wrote 6 of the 13 songs and handles most of the vocals - there's only one instrumental track- with Perkins contributing one song. Both "Sonny Boy Williamson"s are represented with a contribution each.

These guys were definitely having fun and a good time is had by all. One unique standout is Perkins' take on the Thomas A. Dorsey gospel standard, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord". He plays it as a blues complete with a funky ending. I'll never hear that song the same way again.

Perkins says he has no plans to quit before he turns 100 and I don't doubt it. I had the chance to see him play when he was ONLY 95 and his set lasted nearly 90 minutes. This guy has stamina. If you liked he other recent releases - including the three Grammy Nominated albums in 1997, 2000 and 2005 - you'll like this one too.

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a MUST HAVE for Blues lovers, July 20, 2010

By 

LakeKids (Paso Robles,CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Joined at the Hip (Audio CD)

WHOA! this is some GREAT album. We have a growing collection of blues and when we saw Pinetop Perkins in Kenny Wayne Shepherd's "10 Days Out" DVD, thought it was cool that such an older blues player was still at it. This CD was reviewed as some good blues and they weren't kidding. If you like Chicago style blues and hearing some really great CURRENT players you must get this album. Sometimes these kind of albums start off with a great set but everything after that is ho-hum. EVERY single one of these songs are just pure joy. Vocals are rich, Pinetop just turned 97 years old and his piano really rocks. Willie's harp and vocals are just pure blues. The back up players are really into it, guitars wail and the drummer, Kenny Smith, is Willie's son and already follows in dad's footsteps. Album starts off with "Grown Up To Be A Man" and just takes off. "Walkin' Down The Highway" is one bluesy piano and harp, it just keeps going along. This is one CD you will put on and listen to time after time. Don't think blues all belongs to bygone years (like we did) it's happening NOW too. AND, these guys are STILL ON TOUR!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RIP Pinetop, March 21, 2011

By 

Timothy J. Bartness "bartness" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Joined at the Hip (Audio CD)

Great CD with these two really spicing it up together. Unfortunately, today 3/21/11, Pinetop joined the hipsters in the great beyond. This album and his previous one, are certainly the way to go out when you are 96 and this year 97 years old! RIP Pinetop!