Lightnin Hopkins Acoustic Blues Lesson
Just wanted to share a real guitar hero. Of course, this is the real reason I want a Batwing pickguard.
Never have figured out how to play like that…
Gibson J-50. He played in E almost all the time, but he was never tuned up to concert pitch (or even in perfect tune).
Friends of friends of his have told me he said, “Ole Lightnin’ don’t ever practice.” Doesn’t seem like he needed to… He used to play clubs, but he’d also just sit on the bus and play. I think that was his “practice”.
Course you guys probably all know this stuff already, but maybe some younger folks will pop in and be educated.
Notice how much he relies on “acoustics,” such as his foot tapping, his hands making contact with the wood as he plays. I don’t think anyone plays like him anymore. Maybe no one ever did!
Kenny Sultan has sections in some of his instruction books that would be called ‘in the style of’ Lightning Hopkins and are highly recommended for those starting down the Lightning guitar road – they are a bit less exacting than Ernie’s but have the feel of the E and A stuff…..it helps getting your head around the thing before going deep!
Whomever has that guitar now, has a guitar with a heck of a lot of mojo!
Lyrics written under the tab.
