ALBUMS: Drippin’ Wet Live (1973); Dixie Rock (1975)
MVC Rating: Drippin’ 4.0; Dixie 3.0.
OK as this countdown winds down, I am again finding some I overlooked, mainly in the W’s, which has quite a few posts.
I’m pretty sure I am done with the X’s with the two groups X and XTC. So knock a couple of these W’s off, and we are on to Y and Z.
The Wet Willie albums I have don’t have their biggest hit (Keep on Smilin’), which disappointed me when I pulled this record out recently for the first time in what literally is half-a-century. And yes there is a throwback Southern fried vibe here, big on the electric guitar solos and harmonica. That’s All Right’ which starts the Live album shows what they are all about, taking an old Arthur Crudup blues song and rocking it out.
Jimmy Hall led the way on vocals. Their gospel and R&B sound was greatly enhanced by the female back-up singers the, Williettes.
Their live album was also one of their most successful records, showcasing the band’s strong musicianship. Think of it as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s live album ‘One More for the Road …’ without ‘Free Bird.‘ Good songs and good playing but no single transcendent song like ‘Free Bird.’