Delbert McClinton: Live from Austin, TX

Lubbock, Texas native Delbert McClinton has been serving up a steamy mess of soulful country blues since the ’50s and still rocks out today. However this new disc, taped as part of the Austin City Limits TV series, was originally recorded back in 1982. The soundtrack Live from Austin, TX features him kicking it out on 15 greasy tunes with the help of a big band that includes a brassy, horn section. These horns provide high octane accompaniment to McClinton’s singing about love gone good, bad, and inside out. The gruff-throated Lone Star vocalist offers top notch renditions of classic tracks like Jesse Stone’s “Lipstick, Powder and Paint” and Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman’s “Mess of Blues”, less well-known but wonderful grinders like Jesse Mae Robinson’s “Sneakin’ Around” as well as McClinton’s self-penned hit from 1980 “Giving it Up for Your Love”. As always, McClinton provides great harmonica flourishes (he was the man who taught John Lennon to play!) to spice up the musical stew. The disc offers a great aural snapshot of one of Texas’ best live acts.