Steve Howell & The Mighty Men

Yeah Man

Out Of The Past Music

Steve Howell is from Texarkana, a region steeped in tradition, and so he finger picks the guitar content to recreate country blues. This is his nineth album overall. Several albums ago he renamed his band The Mighty Men. The Mighty Men include Howell, acoustic and electric guitar and vocals; Chris Michaels, electric guitar and vocals; Dave Hoffpauir, drums and vocals; and Jason Weinheimer, electric bass, organ and vocals.

Sometimes however Howell covers time honored pop tunes reintroducing them as tradition. In that sense he is a songster. Smithsonian Folkways defines a songster as both a “keeper of tradition…and tradition’s worst enemy, contaminating local tradition with modern popular music”. It sounds like a bad thing but it’s not. Howell’s albums are tunes almost forgotten as he recognizes the emotions within the songs.

Opening with “Long Lonesome Blues”, recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1926, Howell sings “I know my baby, she’s gonna jump and shout…I had a dream that a black cat crossed your trail”. On the title track “Yeah Man” written by Eddie Hinton, lead guitarist for the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Howell chimes “I just want to say to you, yeah man, the skies the limit”. “20% Alcohol” written by J.B. Hutto was first recorded in 1968; “they talk about your troubles, your no good for nothing at all, the only thing that keeps you livin’ is 20% alcohol”.

“One Mint Julep”, a libidinous 1952 romp by the Clovers, gets a jazzy instrumental treatment. “Little Ol’ Wine Drinker Me” about a man drinking away his romantic problems, was an unlikely hit by actor Robert Mitchum in 1967, but my favorite version is by Dean Martin. “I’m Glad For Your Sake” written by Peter Tinturin and Jack Lawrence was first released by Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy in 1937, but Howell says his favorite version is the 1968 cover by The Sir Douglas Quintet.

“Just Like Romeo and Juliet” is an ode to love written by Freddie Gorman and Bob Hamilton, recorded by the doo-wop group The Reflections in 1964 “just wait until I get myself straight…if I don’t our love gonna be a tragedy just like Romeo and Juliet”. “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” is an instrumental written by Joe Zawinul, and a hit for jazz saxman Julian “Cannonball” Adderley in 1967.

“Dearest Darling”, written and recorded by Bo Diddley in 1968 with a signature boogie beat “don’t you know…take my hand…if I get to heaven before you do, try to make a hole to get you through…take my hand, take my hand”. “Lover Please” written by Billy Swan was a hit for Clyde McPhatter in 1962, “Lover please, please come back, don’t take that train comin’ down the track, lover please don’t leave me, don’t leave me in misery”. “Wade in The Water” is the traditional spiritual written in 1901 and recorded by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The closer is an instrumental version of Bob Dylan’s “Chimes Of Freedom” recorded in 1964 with an elegant guitar solo from Howell.

Steve Howell was thirteen when he first heard Mississippi John Hurt fingerpicking country blues. His musical Odyssey naturally included the pop, country, rock, and blues of the last half century. The heart of Steve’s playing and singing is rooted in the rural acoustic blues and traditional jazz genres born in the American South. Steve Howell is worthy of significant praise.

Richard Ludmerer

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