Article Contributed by Craft Recordings
Published on February 7, 2026
Bluesville Records and Craft Recordings kick off Black History Month with a powerful pair of reissues spotlighting two of the blues’ most influential figures: John Lee Hooker and Lightnin’ Hopkins.
While both artists are best known for their groundbreaking electric guitar work, these albums reveal a more intimate side—stripped-back, deeply personal recordings that showcase the full scope of their talents. The reissues include Hooker’s 1960 LP That’s My Story, featuring a seasoned jazz rhythm section, and Hopkins’ 1961 solo masterpiece Blues in My Bottle, a raw, autobiographical statement from the Texas blues icon.
As with all handpicked Bluesville titles, both albums have been meticulously mastered from their original master tapes (AAA) by GRAMMY®-nominated engineer Matthew Lutthans (The Mastering Lab) and reissued on vinyl in partnership with audiophile leader Acoustic Sounds. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings (QRP) and housed in faithfully reproduced tip-on jackets, each LP includes an obi strip featuring new notes by GRAMMY-winning producer, writer, and musician Scott Billington.
Arriving April 3, the remastered albums will also be available in hi-res and standard digital formats. Fans can pre-order both titles now and stream Hooker’s “I Need Some Money” and Hopkins’ “Blues in the Bottle” today.
Since launching in early 2024, Bluesville Records has focused on honoring the roots of American blues, spotlighting the trailblazing musicians who shaped the genre through carefully curated reissues drawn from the catalogs of legendary labels including Stax, Prestige, Vee-Jay, Vanguard, Rounder, and Riverside.
In addition to its ongoing reissue schedule, Bluesville extends its mission through curated playlists, in-depth editorial content, and more—connecting foundational recordings to modern listeners. For updates, follow @BluesvilleRecords across social platforms.
John Lee Hooker – That’s My Story
Fondly known as the “King of the Boogie,” GRAMMY® Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee John Lee Hooker (1917–2001) remains one of the most important figures in American music history. His signature boogie style influenced generations of artists—from the Rolling Stones and Jeff Beck to Bonnie Raitt and Santana.
Produced by Riverside Records founder Orrin Keepnews, That’s My Story paired Hooker with renowned jazz bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes. The result is a brooding, intimate album that places Hooker’s expressive baritone front and center, blending originals with swinging covers such as “I Need Some Money” and “No More Doggin’.”
Scott Billington calls the album “a highlight of his extensive discography,” while AllMusic praised it as “compelling…a solid, rewarding product of Hooker’s association with Keepnews and Riverside Records.”
Track Listing
Side A:
I Need Some Money
Come On And See About Me
I’m Wanderin’
Democrat Man
I Want To Talk About You
Gonna Use My Rod
Side B:
Wednesday Evenin’ Blues
No More Doggin’
One Of These Days
You’re Leavin’ Me, Baby
That’s My Story
Lightnin’ Hopkins – Blues in My Bottle
Houston-born Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins (1912–1982) was among the most prolific and poetic blues artists of all time. Celebrated for his guitar technique and conversational storytelling, Hopkins influenced everyone from Townes Van Zandt and Stevie Ray Vaughan to members of R.E.M. and the Grateful Dead.
Recorded in 1961 and produced by folklorists Mack McCormick and Kenneth S. Goldstein, Blues in My Bottle captures Hopkins alone with his acoustic guitar, delivering one of the most powerful solo statements of his career. From traditional blues standards to vivid originals like “DC-7” and “Death Bells,” the album showcases Hopkins at his most unfiltered.
Billington notes that Hopkins was often at his strongest in solo settings, while AllMusic called the album “rewarding,” adding that Hopkins “was at his best when unaccompanied.”
Track Listing
Side A:
Buddy Brown’s Blues
Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee
Sail On, Little Girl, Sail On
DC-7
Death Bells
Side B:
Goin’ To Dallas To See My Pony Run
Jailhouse Blues
Blues In The Bottle
Beans, Beans, Beans
Catfish Blues
My Grandpa Is Old Too!
