Lazy Lester – True Blues 1967

 

Lazy Lester – True Blues (1967)  Classic Louisiana Swamp Blues Album

Excello records 1967 – LP 8006

notes:

By the time True Blues was released, Lazy Lester had already lived 

through several eras of blues music. Born Leslie Johnson in Torras,

 Louisiana, he first became known in the 1950s through recordings

 for the legendary Excello Records.

After stepping away from music for years to work outside the industry, 

Lester made a remarkable comeback in the late 1980s and 1990s. 

True Blues is part of that revival period, showing that his harmonica tone, 

laid-back vocals, and storytelling style were still as powerful as ever.

credits:

Lazy Lester – vocals, harmonica, sometimes guitar

Lester is the main artist throughout True Blues, singing 

and playing harmonica and occasionally guitar on his originals.

 Session Musicians (Typical Excello/Rhythms on Original Recordings)

Because True Blues compiles recordings from Lester’s Excello singles 

era, the personnel varies by track and records from different sessions.

 Single credits from that period often include:

Slim Harpo – guitar/harmonica (associated as companion session musician 

— Lester joined some of his recordings)

Lightnin’ Slim – guitar/vocals on related Excello sessions Lester played 

on (Lester sometimes appears as harmonica or multi‑instrumentalist)

Various uncredited Louisiana studio musicians typical in Crowley/Excello

productions — including guitarists, bassists, and drummers — 

played backing parts on the singles later compiled on True Blues.

 Specific line‑ups often weren’t listed on original 1960s session records.

True Blues functions more like a compilation of classic Lester singles

rather than a single unified studio band album, so personnel may vary by song.

The common thread across the tracks is Lazy Lester himself, whose harp

and vocals define the sound.

tracklist:

A1 I'm A Lover Not A Fighter 2:31

            written by J. Miller

A2 I Hear You Knockin' 2:11

             written by J. Miller

A3 Sugar Coated Love 2:44

               written by J. Miller

A4 I'm So Glad 2:58

             written by J. West

A5 If You Think I've Lost You 2:22

             written by J. West

A6 Bye, Bye Baby 2:18

             written by Johnson, West

B1 Lonesome Highway Blues 3:10

             written by J. West

B2 I Made Up My Mind 2:17

             written by J. West

B3 Because She's Gone 2:38

             written by J. West

B4 Pondarosa Stomp 2:32

            written by J. West

B5 The Same Thing Could Happen To You 2:18

             written by Jerry West · Leslie Johnson

B6 Lester's Stomp 1:56

            written by L. Johnson, J. West

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