Search - Kent Cooper :: The Blues and Other Songs

Labor Records has announced the new release of a collection of songs by songwriter/lyricist Kent Cooper entitled "The Blues And Other Songs." Cooper's songs, including 7 tracks of recent recordings never issued before, are performed by artists as diverse as Sonny Terry, Louisiana Red, Lefty Dizz, Jemima James, Kristi Johnston, Sugar Blue, Lightnin' Welles, George Higgs, and Willie Murphy. This will be the first in a series of releases that will feature well-known and upcoming artists performing in a wide variety of musical styles, all from the pen of this oft-recorded songwriter. The CD features several numbers by the great bluesman Louisiana Red, who alone has recorded over 30 of Cooper's songs. Red and Kent Cooper often toured together in the 1970s. Sonny Terry, a close friend of Cooper's, weighs in with two powerful numbers on this first release, "Cold Wind Blowing" and the memorable "Robbin' The Grave." Venerable blues singer George Higgs contributes outstanding performances on "Tar River Flood" and "Black Night Road," both new tracks. Folk/Country singer Jemima James is astonishing in her renditions of "I'd Rather Say Goodbye Right Here" and "I was Better Known For Loving," songs which show the breadth of Cooper's writing. On "Sweet Blood Call," Willie Murphy, the Minneapolis singer/piano man, belts out a remarkable, dynamic version of Cooper's blues standard; a song that has been recorded by artists as diverse as Eric Burdon of the Animals and Texas blues icon Rocky Hill. In the Sixties Cooper lived in the East Village and was often a backstage guest at the great Apollo Theater blues extravaganzas, that lasted from twelve noon until three in the morning. He went on road trips with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee and to clubs and concerts with his friend John Lee Hooker, whenever Hooker appeared in the NYC area. He enjoyed many friendships with the blues luminaries of the day, including Muddy Waters, Lonnie Johnson, Arthur Crudup, Johnny Shines, Roosevelt Sykes, Peg Leg Sam, and Alec Seward, to name a few. He is the author of "The Harp Styles of Sonny Terry" (Oak Publications) and "Standing At Your Door," a blues musical which starred Guy Davis in its l998 opening production.