Mighty Sam Mcclain

Mighty Sam Mcclain

"Joy and Pain"

crosscut Records ccd 11058

Hallelujah!! Mighty Sam Mcclain is the real thing. He embodies the Blues and its roots in gospel. Nothing shows it better than this disc recorded live in Germany in 1997. Mighty Sam testifies for over an hour on this beautifully recorded and packaged cd. This is a great introduction to the man and his music. Read my bio on Sam in the Blues Fest section to get some background on the travels and travails of this soulman.

Joy And Pain is a highly-charged, emotional experience from start to finish. After listening to this show, you’ll be drenched in sweat from the peaks and valleys of this rollercoaster ride. The the second song is the title track of an earlier release and embodies the styles within, Sledgehammer Soul and Down Home Blues. With Sam, you won’t be guessing where he’s coming from, he bares his heart & soul in every note of every song.

What You Want Me To Do? is the perfect theme song for the battle of the sexes. How many times have you been in a discussion with your mate and shouted that sentence out? Now you can put this song on your player and sing it together along with Sam. The other side of the battle between men & women is the fact that we can’t live without each other. I’m So Lonely came to Sam as he stood on the beach in Pensacola contemplating suicide over a failed relationship. Don’t listen if you can’t handle the truth! His journey is only for those who know their inner self.

Mighty Sam’s gospel background comes thru throughout this show, but really comes forward on Al Green’s Lord Will Make A Way. The only thing missing is a church choir singing back-up. You won’t believe your ears when Long Train Runnin’ comes up next. Yes, this is the Doobie Brothers song, but in a way you’ve never heard it before. It’s great!

The cd ends with a stunning version of Ronnie Earl’s A Soul That’s Been Abused. It’s an exclamation point to the whole show. This is one journey you won’t regret. See Mighty Sam at 4:30 Sunday at the Fest.

Ken Torvik