Lee Gates - Touring with Lucy

Reviewed by Ben the Harpman

Lee Gates is one of those smalltown blues legends we normally wouldn’t get to hear about if it weren’t folks like Music Maker Relief Foundation’s search of such artists. Gates, a first cousin of the Master of the Telecaster Albert Collins, has been one of those small town working class blues heroes all of his life. ‘Shucking steel like a slave’ during the week and playing the blues on Fridays and Saturday nights, Gates began his national touring debut in 2003 and been playing ever since. Recorded in June 2006 in Huntsville, Alabama; Touring with Lucy sounds not a whole lot like the blues his cousin made famous down in Texas and the world. Instead, Gates and his faithful Gibson (sorry no Tele here) Lucy make tunes more like the stuffs you’d hear out of a Chicago Blues night club. Gates isn’t the most gifted vocalist in the world. If you can bare through the strains of him singing a few bars and listen to his guitar work, it’s pure out solid bluesy goodness. Most of the themes here are ones we’ve heard before, but revisiting old shoes is never a bad thing. Gates can’t get down in it and play some of the grimiest urban-styled blues that traditional fans will deeply enjoy. Gates’ long time unsung prowess might not win him awards but his honesty and love of the music pours through when he bends the strings. Definitely an interesting listen for any diehard Chicago Blues/Urban Blues fans.

Source: Juke Joint Soul