Albert Collins, Texas Blues Deluxe

Albert Collins' family moved from a small town halfway between Houston and Dallas into the big city of Houston Texas when he was seven years old. It was then and there he started forming relationships that would help guide his musical path, because he grew up with the likes of Johnny Copeland and Johnny "Guitar" Watson.

Even though Albert's distant cousin, and later major influence, was legendary Blues man Lightnin' Hopkins, he didn't start playing the guitar until he was 18 years old, around 1950. Not that music wasn't in his blood, because he started out on the keyboard, a B-3 Hammond as a matter of fact.

At this point, Collins began to hang out in the Houston area clubs and listen to artists like Clarence "GateMouth" Brown and T-Bone Walker. After listening and watching, he began to understand the need to develop his own style. This is when he began experimenting with different tuning methods (including using a capo) and his on-stage persona.

Albert started playing the clubs himself in the mid 1950's and became a regional hit. In 1958, he recorded his first single for a local record label, an instrumental named The Freeze. The record was popular enough locally to warrant follow up singles with themed titles like Sno-Cone, De-Frost, and Icy Blue.

And in 1962, with teenagers Janis Joplin and Johnny Winter looking on, Albert Collins recorded his first record that would top the million copies sold mark. The song, Frosty, remained on his live playlist up until he passed away.

While the 1960's produced a Blues revival that was seen in super bands like the Yardbirds, the Animals, and Led Zeppelin, many of the pioneers and early Blues musicians went on largely unnoticed. Albert Collins was no exception.

He continued to work his day jobs and toured in the Houston area at night throughout much of the 60's. That is until a member of Canned Heat came to Houston to watch him play.Bob Hite was so impressed that he coaxed Collins to California where he was immediately signed to Imperial records and began to play on a regular basis at Winterland and Filmore West.

Albert recorded three albums for Imperial then he signed with Tumbleweed records where he worked with producer Joe Walsh to kick out several singles. As luck would have it, Tumbleweed closed up shop before Albert could get a rel bite out of fame, so he was left with a choice. Quit, beg for a contract, or take what following he had and hit the road?

Hit the road was the decision as he spent the rest of the 70's and into the early 80's touring. Not just touring, but he drove the bus as well. The man loved what he was doing and he worked it hard.

He did sign with Aligator in 1977 and recorded the first of six career making albums in 1978. Ice Pickin' is generally held as one of the most important modern Blues recordings as Albert's unique style of tuning, finger picking, and guitar set-up shine through.

He found his voice as well.

It was from this point on that he and his wife Gwen began to pen many of Albert's classic tunes.

Although Albert spent a lot of time on the road and not much recording through the 1970's, he began something that he wasn't going to reap what some would see as the whole enchilada when it comes to fame.

By the mid 1980's, the Blues were coming back in a big way. Stevie Ray Vaughn and The Fabulous Thunderbirds were huge. Once again, the genre was gaining respect, and a large part of that respect was because of musicians like Albert Collins who continued to work the grind of the road, playing night after night and creating new generations of Blues fans all over the world.

By the mid 80's, Collins was touring not only North America, but Europe and Japan as well.

Blues Musicians being who they are, were giving credit where credit was due. SRV always maintained that Albert Collins was one his biggest influences and would jam with Collins every chance he got. Vaughn held Collins up so the world could see a true master.

Sadly, Collins succumbed to complications rising from lung cancer. The year was 1993 and he was 61.

After reading about some of the details of his career, watching what has turned into hours of videos, and years of listening to his music, I have to think he got more than he really wanted. Real fame was fleeting to him, but he just wanted to have fun.

There ain't no doubt that he did.

About the same time Buddy Guy started his walk off the stage and into the crowd act in Chicago, Albert Collins was doing the same thing in Houston. Thirty years later, in the early 1980's, Albert Collins had turned his walk offs into a three ring circus.

On one occasion, Albert walked out of the club, onto the street, and into a city bus that had come to a stop. The bud driver held up the bus until Albert played a while and then left.

Better than that though, Albert got into a long solo one night Antone's, in Austin, and walked out of the club, across an adjoining alley and into a pizza joint. Without missing a note, he ordered a pizza and walked back to the club. Back onto the stage, and continued that same song until his pizza was delivered.

I'm guessing he enjoyed making fun of himself, which makes him very special in my book.

Albert influenced many great guitar players, including Jimmy Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Ron wood, and many others. His influence was more of a "go out and make your own sound, don't try to emulate anyone else" type of influence than anything else.