Strike Like Lightning

Lonnie Mack, Lonnie Mack With Stevie Ray Vaughan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Alligator Records
• ASIN: B0000009Y6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,973 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #14 in Music > Indie Music > Rock > Blues Rock
  • #24 in Music > Indie Music > Rock > Rock Guitarists

Editorial Reviews

From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD

Anyone who thought Lonnie Mack was only a rock-guitar history book name-thanks to his seminal country-and-blues instrumental version of Chuck Berry's "Memphis"-got slapped upside the head by his 1958 Gibson Flying V guitar when this Stevie Ray Vaughan co-produced album appeared in 1985. On both fast and slow songs his fluid leads fulgurate like bolts from the blue, with additional illumination provided by his heavy, worn-and-torn singing voice. A gang of Mack's old Cincinnati cronies contribute glowingly as if at a roadhouse torching, while Vaughan supplies still more sizzle to the shuffle with "If You Have to Know" and four more. -- © Frank John Hadley 1993

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wham!, June 22, 2001

By 

Russell Diederich (Littleton, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Strike Like Lightning (Audio CD)

Fourteen years before the release of "In Session" (but, it was two years after the "In Session" recording took place), SRV sat in with another one of his heroes, Lonnie Mack. Stevie co-produced Mack's come back album as well as providing guitar work for half the tracks. If you're thinking this is an SRV album under a different name don't get too excited. Stevie had great respect for his heroes and he would never step on their toes. This is definitely Mack's album and when SRV's not playing, Mack's younger brother, Bill McIntosh, steps up to the plate (a fine guitarist in his own right).

Mack is most noted for his ability to play melody and rhythm simultaneously. His powerful country-blues sound has a good feel to it, and he is flawless at giving us good-old music. "Double Whammy" is a remake of "Wham!" with Stevie on the second guitar (this was SRV's first record that he owned as a kid and he played it so much his father broke it - it's understandable why he played so much). Mack duets vocally with SRV on "If You Have to Know". All of the songs on this album are keepers.

Overall, this is a great album. You can hear from these tracks how Mack has been such a commodity to guitar music and the blues. The Allman Brothers, Bugs Henderson, The Vaughan brothers, Eric Clapton and countless others have been influenced by this man. If you like the blues, especially Southern blues, then you owe it to yourself to check out Lonnie Mack.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sizzle!!!, August 3, 2002

By 

booknblueslady (Woodland, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Strike Like Lightning (Audio CD)

As one would expect a guitarist who was an idol to Stevie Ray Vaughan, has a great deal of skill on the strings and Lonnie Mack has been known to heat up his Gibson Flying V guitar. Strike Like Lightning is a find for blues and guitar lovers, with the combined sound of two great guitarists, Lonnie Mack and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Lonnie Mack made the rounds in juke joints in his home state Indiana, scorching the strings of his Flying V. In 1958 he cut a instrumental version of Chuck Berry's Memphis that impresses guitarist to this day. Among his followers was a young man known as Stevie Ray Vaughan. After they connected Stevie talked Mack into moving to Texas to restart his career and co-produced this cd.

It is not surprising that Strike Like Lightning certainly has some sizzling guitar work with both Lonnie Mack and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stevie plays on Hound Dog Man, Satisfy Susie, Double Whammy and Oreo Cookie Blues and plays guitar and sings on If You Want to Know.

Often those with a great deal of talent do not feel the necessity of flaunting it. This is definitely true of Lonnie Mack on Strike Like Lightning. Mack a greatly talented man does not feature lengthy endless guitar solos on this cd. It is nice tasty blues which balances vocals with the instrumentals. Mack who claims his influences to be George Jones and Bobby Blue Bland, Has a pleasant voice that does strain or torture itself or listeners.

Mack is a skilled song writer and wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on Strike Like Lightning except Hound Dog Man. All of the songs are honest, tasty blues. Among my favorites are Hound Dog Man, Satisfy Susie, If You Have to Know and the tongue in cheek, Oreo Cookie Blues.

Released in 1985, it is apparent when listening to this that sound technology has made great leaps and bounds in a few short years. It doesn't quite match up to some newer cd sound quality. A remastering may be in order to make this a cd stand out more.

For those who have to own everything with Stevie Ray Vaughan on it be sure to add this to your collection. Add Lonnie Mack as a guitarist of note to listen to.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A MUST HAVE FOR STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN FANATICS., November 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Strike Like Lightning (Audio CD)

"STRIKE THE LIGHTNING" IS A STRONG ALBUM PUT TOGETHER BY LONNIE MACK AND STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN. MACK AND VAUGHAN SHOWCASE THEIR DIFFERENT BLUES-BASED GUITAR STYLES IN SEVERAL OF THE TRACKS. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS CD JUST FOR THE SAKE OF ADDING TO YOUR S.R.V. COLLECTION, BY ALL MEANS GO AND GET IT! ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU EXPECT TO GET THE USUAL S.R.V. MIND BLOWING GUITAR WORK, YOU HAD BETTER LOOK ELSEWHERE. STEVIE IS NOT A MAJOR PART OF THE SONGWRITING OR LEAD GUITAR SOLOS... LONNIE MACK IS A PLEASANT SURPRISE TO THOSE WHO ARE HEARING HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THIS CD.