Chris Smither - Happier Blue (1993)

Somewhere between Johnny Cash and Lightnin' Hopkins, you'll find Chris Smither, whose first studio recording in 15 years, originally released in 1993, was re- issued by Tone Cool Records. A fixture on the '60s folk scene, Smither also has several ties to the blues; he's been covered by Bonnie Raitt and John Mayall and is a devotee of Mississippi John Hurt. That's reflected on several tracks on this album, notably the fun, up-tempo "Already Gone" and the spooky, tension-laden "The Devil's Real." Smither's folkier selections are more of an acquired taste, especially for blues devotees, but in a way the Johnny-Cash-like rendition of "Killin' the Blues" is its own reward--and for the purist, it's followed up by the excellent "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor." --Genevieve Williams