ELVIN BISHOP
The Best of Elvin Bishop - The Millennium Collection (Mercury)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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This collection features eleven of the strongest tracks from Elvin Bishop's six albums released on Capricorn Records between 1974 and 1978, including, of course, his signature hit, "Fooled Around And Fell In Love." While the combination of Bishop's skillful songwriting and Mickey Thomas' smooth vocal performance propelled "Fooled Around..." to the number three spot on the pop charts, it's not the most representative track. Bishop, a veteran of the legendary Butterfield Blues Band, adopted a persona for his Capricorn albums that hearkened back to his Tulsa, Oklahoma childhood, cranking out countrified blues that generally rocked considerably harder than his biggest hit. The other ten tracks, all Bishop originals, demonstrate the guitar flash and party spirit that made Bishop a crowd favorite at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium and all points east. He's still working, but these were the glory days and this is a great way to relive them.

Track List:

Let It Flow * Ground Hog * Stealin' Watermelons * Travelin' Shoes * Juke Joint Jump * Sure Feels Good * Fooled Around And Fell In Love * Struttin' My Stuff * Sugar Dumplin' * Rock My Soul (live) * It's A Feelin'

© 2002 - Shaun Dale