Elvin Bishop is just a long standing, influential player.
"But Elvin definitely falls into that category of guy who quietly had a very wide touch on a lot of people and projects in the music business."
December 4th, Ding! Ding! Ding! It is “Two-fer-Tuesday” boys and girls. Time to celebrate a double live album from our past. Not sure what exactly got me thinking about this record a couple of days back, but it just seemed like a worthy candidate and it offers a great “get your day kicking” vibe for a Tuesday. This morning’s live listening session is Elvin Bishop’s “Raisin Hell Live”
Now for those in my age group, you’ll probably all remember Elvin for his big hit “Fooled Around and Fell In Love” with Micky Thomas singing in the lead role. It was a great moment for Elvin, a guy who had been in the game for a long time. And a great song as well with some classic Elvin Bishop solo work in it.
But Elvin definitely falls into that category of guy who quietly had a very wide touch on a lot of people and projects in the music business. It was surprising for me to learn that he had been the original guitar player in Paul Butterfield’s Blues Band. He and Paul Butterfield's relationship went back to the very early 60s together. Also of note, as you may or may not know if your Allman Brothers history is up to snuff, he was on the bill with them during their legendary
Fillmore East recordings. And that is a super small sampling of his history. Elvin is clearly a "lifer" and he is still playing and releasing recordings today and even winning awards as a blues guitarist.
This is a really fun album and offers a great vibe and atmosphere for parties that includes the Tower of Power horns no less. How can you lose with that?
"Raisin Hell Live" is solid sounding record and was captured across a number of gigs in 1976 including the Electric Ballroom in Atlanta, Civic Theater in San Diego, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, The Roxy in LA and the Old Waldorf in San Fran. It was produced by Allan Blazek and engineered by Mark Morris, Pete Carlson, Jack Crymes, Rich Sanchez and Mark Eshelman, David Roeder, Kelly Korean and Tom Scott. Man, that’s a lot of engineers! No credit is given for the recording truck providers for the events.
So be sure and think twice before putting him in the one-hit-wonder category. Hardly the case. I mean, when your name gets a mention in a Charlie Daniels song — “Elvin Bishop sitting’ on a bye of hay; he ain’t good looking but he sure can play”--- all the way out to today when your hit song get’s included in the hip Avengers movie “Guardians of the Galaxy” for the lead character’s mix tape “Awesome Mix Vol.1”, you’ve done something right in your time.