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Gatemouth Brown “Slop Time” (Peacock, 1960)

(Click title to listen or download)

Listen to this track in Singles Mixer Vol. 5

Today’s 45 is a cool little tune I picked up while on my trip to Virginia that was quite a surprise. This era of Peacock is pretty sure fire stuff in my book and Gatemouth is a known quantity putting out lots of great sides on Don Robey’s label during this time. To me, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown was always distinguished by smooth blues guitar, keeping his tone nice and clean even when a tune was rocking. So I was pleasantly surprised to hear each of the sides (Gate’s Tune is the flip) of this record feature a fiddle front and center!

There are many things to like about this record for me. First, it’s great, tightly wound music that opens up the blues idiom a bit- taking the guitar out and making this a bit more of a country affair than usual. Second, I learned that Gatemouth is an accomplished fiddle player, it’s always rewarding to be surprised by an artist you thought you knew! Finally, it’s exciting hearing Gatemouth, Houston’s crowned King of Blues Guitar and Singing stretch out on another instrument and to hear how he voices another instrument in a very similar way to his guitar- like his music, his expression, regardless of the chosen instrument is coming from another place.

Gatemouth was born in Louisiana, spent time in Nashville but generally called Texas home. He had a long and celebrated career, putting out award winning albums, winning a Grammy in 1983 and collaborating and genre bending the whole dang time. I put my reputation on the line that you’ll never be disappointed in his Peacock sides and like me with today’s 45, when you put the needle to the record you may even be pleasantly surprised.

I included a couple of cool archival clips I found in some newspapers of a young Gatemouth heading out to tour in the early 50′s, a clipping about his blues battle and a truly enticing concert advert!

Hope you enjoy today’s 45 and get to do a little sloppin around!

-George / Snack Attack