Lightnin' Hopkins

Chronicles the fascinating and often turbulent life of Townes Van Zandt.

Loving, music-filled tribute to Chris Strachwitz, guiding force behind legendary roots music label Arhoolie Records. With Ry Cooder, Clifton Chenier, Richard Thompson, Flaco Jiménez and a new generation of roots musicians.

A lyrical recreation of Lightnin’ Hopkins’ decision at age eight to stop chopping cotton and start singing for a living. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2013.

A musical portrait of Texas bluesman 'Lightnin' Hopkins. The film includes interviews and a performance by Hopkins. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2002.

In 1962, a group of legendary American blues musicians embarked on a series of tours to the United Kingdom. Footage from these classic concerts, which feature the likes of Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, Junior Wells and more, are collected here. Blues fans will relish appearances by Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Lonnie Johnson, Big Joe Williams, Big Joe Turner, Otis Rush ...

Taken from the European tours organised for American blues musicians between 1962 and 1969, this release features performances by several popular blues artists, including: T-Bone Walker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Victory Spivey, T-Bone Walker ...

In this short film, blues musician Lightnin’ Hopkins performs an improvised song inspired by a card game he played with filmmaker Les Blank and producer Skip Gerson during the production of "The Blues Accordin’ to Lightnin’ Hopkins".

This short film by Les Blank with Skip Gerson features the charismatic legendary blues icon Lightnin' Hopkins sing a beautiful song about a stuttering boy who learns that he can communicate through singing. Also features Billy Bizor on harmonica.

This film by John Jeremy grew from photographs and field recordings made by Paul Oliver on a journey through the South in 1960. Oliver, a British architectural historian who devoted years to researching African American blues, memorialized the journey also in his 1963 book Conversation with the Blues. The film includes the voices and music of Blind James Brewer, James “Butch” Cage, Gus Cannon, Walter Davis, Blind Arvella Gray, Sam “Lightnin” Hopkins, James “Stump” Johnson, Lonnie Johnson, J. B. Lenoir, Charles Love, “Little Brother” Montgomery, James Oden, Edwin Buster Pickens, Sam Price, Robert Curtis Smith, Otis Span, Willie Thomas, Henry Townsend, Wade Walton, and others unidentified.

Mance Lipscomb and Lightnin' Hopkins play music and talk about their lives. Hosted by musician Taj Mahal.

Several live acoustic & electric performances by Texas Blues guitarist Lightnin' Hopkins.

Assorted performances collected by Stefan Grossman. Includes Albert Collins, Freddie King, Lightnin; Hopkins, and Mance Lipscomb

Anthology of six short films, including: Dizzy Gillespie Chicken Real Cigarette Blues God Respects Us When We Work, But Loves Us When We Dance Running Around Like A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off The Sun’s Gonna Shine

In 1963 German filmmaker Dietrich Wawzyn set out to shoot a series of films for German television that took him through the southern US in search of American jazz and roots music. He contacted Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz, who jumped at the chance to join him and share his enthusiasm for regional musical traditions. Wawzyn made three films dealing with blues, gospel, and hillbilly music. The negatives to those films were lost. This film recreates the journey from the best elements still available and includes much previously unreleased footage.