So aside from it being my birthday today (we’ll get to that later) the name on the birthday list that caught my eye was bluesman, Albert Collins…..Albert Collins….
….’was born October 1, 1932, in Leona, TX. His family moved to Houston when he was seven. Growing up in the city’s Third Ward area with the likes of Johnny “Guitar” Watson and Johnny “Clyde” Copeland, Collins started out taking keyboard lessons.
Albert Collins, “The Master of the Telecaster,” “The Iceman,” and “The Razor Blade” was robbed of his best years as a blues performer by a bout with liver cancer that ended with his premature death on November 24, 1993. He was just 61 years old. The highly influential, totally original Collins, like the late John Campbell, was on the cusp of a much wider worldwide following via his deal with Virgin Records’ Pointblank subsidiary. However, unlike Campbell, Collins had performed for many more years, in obscurity, before finally finding a following in the mid-’80s. Read More at AllMusic
Two of my favorite albums from Albert Collins are 1991’s Iceman and 1985’s: Showdown! with Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland, which is really a terrific album! Here’s a list of his releases!
1978’s Ice Pickin’ is the pick at AllMusic…..
Studio Albums
- 1965: The Cool Sounds of Albert Collins (TCF Hall 8002) collection of early singles, reissued in 1970 as Truckin’ With Albert Collins
- 1968: Love Can Be Found Anywhere (Even In A Guitar) (Imperial LP-12428)
- 1969: Trash Talkin’ (Imperial LP-12438)
- 1970: The Compleat Albert Collins (Imperial LP-12449)
- 1971: There’s Gotta Be A Change (Tumbleweed 103)
- 1978: Ice Pickin‘ (Alligator 4713)
- 1980: Frostbite (Alligator 4719)
- 1983: Don’t Lose Your Cool (Alligator 4730)
- 1986: Cold Snap (Alligator 4752)
- 1991: Iceman (Pointblank VPBCD 3)
Collaborations
- 1985: Showdown! with Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland (Alligator 4743)
Live albums
- 1979: Albert Collins and Barrelhouse Live (Munich Records 225)
- 1981: Frozen Alive (Alligator 4725)
- 1984: Live In Japan (Alligator 4733)
- 1989: Jazzvisions: Jump the Blues Away (Verve 841 287-1)
- 1992: Albert Collins: Live At Montreux 1992 (Eagle Records)
- 1995: Live ’92/’93 (Pointblank 40658)
- 2005: The Iceman at Mount Fuji (Fuel 2000)
- 2008: Cold Tremors (Red Lightnin’ 250186)
Compilations
- 1991: The Complete Imperial Recordings (EMI CDP-7-96740-2)
- 1993: Collins Mix: The Best Of (Pointblank 39097) re-recordings
- 1997: Deluxe Edition (Alligator 5601)
So let;s heard some blues on my birthday from the great Albert Collins from the “Live at Montreux 1992” DVD made just about a year before his passing! I;m proud to share a birthday with you (of course mine was a few years later!), Albert!!
