Back in the early 90s I went to see Buddy Guy in concert for the first time. He had just put out the album Damn Right I Got The Blues (Silvertone Records), which is a really wonderful album and one that put him back into the hearts and minds of all who love the blues.
His support on that tour was someone I had never actually heard of before, another Bluesman by the name of John Campbell. All I knew about him afterwards was that he lived in New York City. There was not a lot of info to go on at the time but I found out that he had recorded two albums prior to one I'm spotlighting today. One in 1975 called Street Suite that was recorded in Texas and a follow up after he had moved (in 1985) to NY called A Man and His Blues, which was released on a small German label in 1988 (Listen here to Judgement Day).
He only ever recorded two more albums, One Believer (which is posted below) and 1993's Howlin' Mercy (Listen to Love's Name here).
The same year of that last album he sadly passed away at the age of 41 due to heart failure. He was survived by his wife Dolly, two daughters (Paris and Elizabeth) and a son (William). There are some moving Obituaries for him gleaned from the music press here.
A couple of weeks after seeing him I managed to get hold of a copy of his One Believer CD and boy is it good! I stuck it on again last night just to remind myself of it and thinking that 25 years have passed since it came out and just how great it still sounds.
He was actually a really great guitarist (and steel guitarist) and the blues lost a good young soul when he passed away so tragically.
One Believer - John Campbell
Elektra
Produced by Dennis Walker
Released 1991
Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!
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