Pee Wee CraytonPee Wee CraytonLimited 12 AlbumGenre: BluesDescription: Fabulous guitar slinger vocalist and songwriter Pee Wee Crayton was one of the most imaginative guitar innovators during the post-World War II years before rock & roll took America by storm. He is thought to have been the first blues guitarist to use a Fender Stratocaster playing an instrument given to him by Leo Fender. An important link between T-Bone Walker's blues and Chuck Berry's rock Crayton never got the popular attention he deserved during his lifetime even though many guitarists still cite him as a primary influence. This essential LP presents the bluesman’s first long play Pee Wee Crayton in its entirety. Originally issued in 1960 by Modern Records’ subsidiary Crown label it has been long unavailable on vinyl. The album includes previous Modern sides some of them dating back to 1948. Featured here is a magnificent mix of emotional blues jump tunes electrifying boogies and soulful ballads. Among the highlights you can find the opener “Texas Hop – a jumpin' instrumental with a rockin' guitar solo and wailing sax and the instrumental smash “Blues After Hours as well as great vocal numbers such as “California Women “Tired of Travelin’ and “My Everything among others. In addition to the original album this limited collector’s edition includes 2 bonus tracks from the same period: the sumptuous I Love You So one of Crayton's biggest hits and the electrifying “Poppa Stoppa a guitar instrumental with exhilarating staccato picks on the high end of the neck. These seminal recordings show Pee Wee Crayton to be a capable and exciting performer in both the uptempo and ballad styles as both a vocalist and instrumentalist. This set provides ample proof of Crayton’s stature as a significant bluesman and an important exponent in the transition from the earliest electric blues to a harder R&B style.
