I'm a Blues Man is an album by the American musician Z. Z. Hill, released in 1983.[1][2] Like Hill's previous albums, it is a mixture of blues, R&B, and Southern soul.[3][4] I'm a Blues Man was among the 25 best selling Top Black Albums of 1984, and remained on that chart for almost a year; for a brief period, Hill's three 1982 and 1983 Malaco albums were on the chart at the same time.[5][6][7] I'm a Blues Man was the last album released in Hill's lifetime.[8]
| I'm a Blues Man | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1983 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 35:06 | |||
| Label | Malaco | |||
| Producer | Tommy Couch, Wolf Stephenson | |||
| Z. Z. Hill chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album was produced by Tommy Couch and Wolf Stephenson.[9] The title track, which mentions Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed, was written by Walter Godbold.[10][11] Vasti Jackson played guitar on the album.[12]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [13] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[14] |
| The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings |  [10] |
| The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul | [15] |
The Los Angeles Times noted that the album "employs a more pronounced Stax attack on Hill's typical assortment of cheating love songs".[16] The Daily Herald said that Hill "never rises out of a larded grits-and-chitlins groove, but he's polished it until it shines like a diamond."[17] Robert Christgau wrote that the songs were stronger than on Hill's previous Malaco album, The Rhythm and the Blues.[14] The Lake Geneva Regional News called Hill "a link to the Southern tradition who shines on every song he sings".[18] The Valley Advocate labeled Hill's music "red-clay soul", and listed I'm a Blues Man among the best "Black Pop" albums of 1984.[19]
AllMusic opined that "Hill had indeed rechristened himself as a blues man of the first order."[13]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I'm a Blues Man" | 3:34 |
| 2. | "Three into Two Won't Go" | 2:52 |
| 3. | "Cheatin' Love" | 3:26 |
| 4. | "Shade Tree Mechanic" | 2:57 |
| 5. | "It's Been So Long" | 3:29 |
| 6. | "Get a Little, Give a Little" | 4:12 |
| 7. | "Please Don't Let Our Good Thing End" | 4:18 |
| 8. | "Steal Away" | 4:09 |
| 9. | "Blind Side" | 2:47 |
| 10. | "I Ain't Buying What You're Selling" | 3:22 |
| Total length: | 35:06 | |
References
edit- ^ Hardy, Phil; Laing, Dave (1995). The Da Capo Companion to 20th-Century Popular Music. Da Capo Press. p. 427.
- ^ Miller, Debby (March 29, 1984). "I'm a Blues Man". Rolling Stone. No. 418. p. 73.
- ^ Herzhaft, Gérard (1997). Encyclopedia of the Blues. University of Arkansas Press. p. 83.
- ^ Govenar, Alan B. (2008). Texas Blues: The Rise of a Contemporary Sound. Texas A&M University Press. p. 121.
- ^ "Top Black Albums". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-22.
- ^ "Top Black Albums". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 47. November 24, 1984. p. 52.
- ^ Hurst, Jack (May 2, 1984). "Services for Z.Z. Hill; brought rebirth of blues". Chicago Tribune. p. 2.10.
- ^ "Singer Z.Z. Hill dies in Dallas". The Clarion-Ledger. April 28, 1984. p. 2B.
- ^ "Z. Z. Hill I'm a Blues Man". High Fidelity. Vol. 34, no. 6. June 1984. p. 81.
- ^ a b The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 257.
- ^ Farley, Charles (2011). Soul of the Man: Bobby "Blue" Bland. University Press of Mississippi. p. 244.
- ^ Garrett, Reggie (August 23, 1993). "Multi-Ethic Celebration". The Star-Ledger.
- ^ a b "I'm a Blues Man Review by Bill Dahl". AllMusic. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
- ^ a b "Z.Z. Hill". Robert Christgau. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul. Virgin Books. p. 153.
- ^ Snowden, Don (February 12, 1984). "LP Briefs". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 95.
- ^ Kelton, Jim (March 25, 1984). "Records". Venture. Daily Herald. p. 5.
- ^ Burke, Jack (September 13, 1984). "The Wax Works". Lake Geneva Regional News. p. 89.
- ^ Lane, George (January 16, 1985). "The Changing Face of Black Pop". Valley Advocate. Springfield. p. 28.