Southern Archive

Louisiana Red – The Lowdown Back Porch Blues – Roulette Records (1963)/ Pure Pleasure Records (2013) – vinyl

by John Sunier | Feb 11, 2014 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

Louisiana Red – The Lowdown Back Porch Blues – Roulette Records (1963)/ Pure Pleasure Records (2013) PPAN R 25200, 34:01 re-mastered 180-gram vinyl ****: (Louisiana Red – guitars, vocals, harmonica; Karl Lynch – bass; Panama Francis – drums) The legacy of blues music is distinctly American in its origins. Most (if not all) of these artists were raised in the dimness of Southern prejudice with limited opportunities. Playing music was not financially viable. Consequently, labor-intensive jobs became a necessity for survival. To complicate matters, blues musicians were routinely shortchanged on royalties, often depending on European audiences (and ultimately British rock bands) to sustain their careers. Within this life of struggle, a plethora of iconic songs kept the idiom alive for the world to cherish. One of these artists is Louisiana Red. Formerly known as Iverson Minter, he survived a devastating childhood (Red’s mother died of pneumonia and his father was lynched by the Klu Klux Klan in Alabama) to make his mark on the blues scene. After a stint in the army he joined the legions of blues men who emigrated north to begin a new life. He briefly played with John Lee Hooker before getting an audition with Roulette […]