I'm a Gambler is an album by the American musician Little Milton, released in 1994.[2][3] It was nominated for a W. C. Handy Award for best "Soul/Blues Album".[4] Little Milton promoted the album by touring the United States, Japan, and Europe.[5]
| I'm a Gambler | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1994 | |||
| Studio | Malaco | |||
| Genre | Blues, R&B, soul | |||
| Label | Malaco[1] | |||
| Producer | Tommy Couch, Wolf Stephenson | |||
| Little Milton chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album was recorded at Malaco Studios, where Milton had final say over the songs he recorded.[6][7] It includes covers of songs by Johnny Ace and Percy Mayfield, among others.[8] "Like a Rooster on a Hen" was written by the Memphis songwriting partnership of Ben Shaw and John Ward.[9]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| The Commercial Appeal | [8] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [11] |
| MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide |  [12] |
The Commercial Appeal stated: "Backed by his smoking band, Little Milton Campbell takes a good-humored look at the latest Delta blues theme."[8] The Chicago Tribune called the album "as satisfying as his classic 1960s R&B catalog for Chicago's Chess Records."[13] The Advocate thought that "Casino Blues" "eyes heartbreak with a wink and a chuckle," and praised the "brassy, soulful style" of the album's other songs.[14]
AllMusic wrote that "Milton sings with vigor, like he was feeling at the top of his game when he recorded this CD—and no wonder, since the material is quite strong."[10]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Casino Blues" | |
| 2. | "I've Got the Blues" | |
| 3. | "Poke Salad Annie" | |
| 4. | "Like a Rooster on a Hen" | |
| 5. | "Pledging My Love" | |
| 6. | "Love Is a Gamble" | |
| 7. | "That's All Right" | |
| 8. | "Baby Please" | |
| 9. | "You've Been Gone Too Long" | |
| 10. | "A Man Needs a Woman" | |
| 11. | "That's What a Good Woman Can Do" |
References
edit- ^ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 402.
- ^ "R&B Master Little Milton Meets Thin Turnout with Competence". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
- ^ "Jet Top 20 Albums". Jet. Vol. 86, no. 20. Sep 19, 1994. p. 62.
- ^ Nager, Larry (March 4, 1995). "Handys big on Grammy loser". The Commercial Appeal. p. C1.
- ^ Steinberg, David (July 28, 1995). "Guitarist Goes Deep for Blues' True Colors". Albuquerque Journal. p. E19.
- ^ "Malaco Picks Up the Pieces". Jackson Free Press. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
- ^ Baker, David (Jun 25, 1995). "Little Milton rips out a big blues sound". The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus. p. H6.
- ^ a b c Nager, Larry (August 13, 1994). "Recordings". The Commercial Appeal. p. C4.
- ^ Donahue, Michael (May 6, 1994). "Listen Up". The Commercial Appeal. p. E8.
- ^ a b "I'm a Gambler". AllMusic.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 267.
- ^ MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 354.
- ^ Dahl, Bill (9 Sep 1994). "Little Milton Doesn't Need to Ride the Bandwagon to Keep Up". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. Take 2.
- ^ Wirt, John (September 2, 1994). "Little Milton I'm A Gambler Malaco". Fun. The Advocate. p. 6.