Albert White

The Definitive Albert White

Music Maker Foundation

The “Definitive Albert White” marks the culmination of the artist’s seventy-year career as well as the 30th anniversary of White becoming a Music Maker partner artist. It was produced by Jimbo Mathus and recorded at the non-profit’s recording studio in Fountain, North Carolina.

The nephew of Atlanta R&B legend Willie Lee “Piano Red” Perryman, White began as a teenager, playing guitar in his uncle’s band. He went on to develop his unique style on the college circuit in the 1960’s and ’70s, performing alongside Ray Charles, Ben E. King, Joe Tex, and countless others. White was introduced to Music Maker in 1995 through fellow blues guitarist Beverly “Guitar” Watkins and soon became part of the Music Maker Revue, playing hundreds of shows across the world.

Producer Mathis states White “had all these arrangements in his head, and we just did them.”. White opens with “Let’s Go,” a 1960 hit for Hank Ballard and The Midnighters. An expressive vocalist and guitarist, White, sings, “There’s a thrill on the hill; let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.”. “Untie Me” follows, a 1962 hit for The Tams written by Joe South: “If you find a new love, I won’t put the blame on you… untie me, untie me, untie me… you don’t know where I go, what I do, untie me.”.

“Little Mixed Up” was written by Betty James and Clarence Edward Johnson and a hit for James in 1961, as White chimes “I’m a little mixed up, and I don’t know what to do. I’m a little mixed up, mixed up, mixed up fool. I’m a little mixed up, and I don’t know what to do.”. “Gypsy Woman” was written and recorded by Curtis Mayfield in 1971: “She was a gypsy woman; dance all around to a gypsy melody; she was a gypsy woman; all through the carousel’s, I love a gypsy woman.”. “Tore Down” was a 1961 single written and recorded by Freddie King “I’m tore down; I’m almost level with the ground; I feel this way when my baby can’t be found.”. “What Am I Living For” was written by Fred Jay and Arthur Harris and sung by Solomon Burke in 1969: “What am I living for if not for you…darling, nobody else, nobody else will do.”.

“Drivin’ Wheel” was written by Roosevelt Sykes and a 1963 hit for Little Junior Parker: “My baby, don’t have to work; she doesn’t have to rob and steel; I give everything to you; she is my drivin’ wheel.”. “River’s Invitation” was a 1963 single, written and recorded by Percy Mayfield, and another fabulous vocal for White as he sings, “You know which way I’m headed when my baby can’t be found.”

“Let’s Stay Together” was written by Al Green, Albert Jackson Jr., and Willie Mitchell and a hit for Green in 1963: “I’m so in love with you; whatever you want to do…loving me for ever is all I need…through the good and bad, happy and sad, let’s stay together,” with a great guitar solo from White. “Times Getting Tough” was first written and recorded by Jimmy Witherspoon: “I used to have a girl, but I didn’t know how to keep her; time was getting tougher than tough; I made a little money, but I didn’t know how to keep that stuff.”. On the closer “Feel Like Breaking,” Albert uses the wah-wah pedal as he sings “got nowhere to turn to, I feel so alone, feel like breaking’ up somebodies home,” written by Albert Jackson Jr. and sung by Ann Peebles.

This is a fine album of covers with arrangements by vocalist and guitarist Albert White. He sings with clarity and announciation, making this an album to be cherished. Thank you, Albert White.

Richard Ludmerer

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