Showdown!

Showdown!
Studio album by Albert Collins, Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland
Released	1985
Studio	Streeterville Studios, Chicago, Illinois
Genre	Blues
Length	42:56
Label	Alligator
Producer	Bruce Iglauer, Dick Shurman, Bruce Bromberg ("The Dream")
Robert Cray albums chronology
False Accusations (1985) Showdown! (1985) Strong Persuader (1986)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s	B[3]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings	[2]

Showdown! is a collaborative blues album by guitarists Albert Collins, Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland,^[1] released in 1985 through Alligator Records.^[4] The album is mostly original material, with cover versions of songs like T-Bone Walker's "T-Bone Shuffle", Muddy Waters' "She's into Something" and Ray Charles' "Blackjack". Collins, Cray and Copeland were supported by Johnny B. Gayden and Allen Batts, who at the time were members of Collins' Icebreakers, and Alligator's household artist Casey Jones. In the album's sleeve notes, producers Bruce Iglauer and Dick Shurman wrote that Copeland and Cray were both supported by Collins early in their careers, and how the three musicians often crossed paths since, making this collaborative effort a "thirty years in the making" project. Showdown! was one of Alligator's most successful albums, peaking at #124 on the US charts and selling over 175,000 units worldwide.^[5] The album won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Recording in 1986.^[6] It was re-released on CD by Alligator in 2011.^[4]

In a retrospective review, AllMusic noted that "Cray's delivery of Muddy Waters' rhumba-rocking "She's into Something" was one of the set's many highlights".^[1]

Track listing

1. "T-Bone Shuffle" (T-Bone Walker) – 4:54
2. "The Moon Is Full" (Gwen Collins) – 4:59
3. "Lion's Den" (Johnny Copeland) – 3:55
4. "She's Into Something" (Carl Wright) – 3:49
5. "Bring Your Fine Self Home" (Johnny Copeland) – 4:30
6. "Black Cat Bone" (Ivory Lee Semien, Harding Wilson) – 4:54
7. "The Dream" (Robert Cray, David Amy) – 5:28
8. "Albert's Alley" (Albert Collins) – 4:01
9. "Blackjack" (Ray Charles) – 6:26^[1]
10. "Something To Remember You By" (Eddie jones) –5:27

Personnel

• Albert Collins - guitar, harmonica, vocals
• Robert Cray - guitar, vocals
• Johnny Copeland - guitar, vocals
• Allen Batts - organ
• Johnny B. Gayden - bass
• Casey Jones - drums^[7]

References

1. Dahl, Bill. "Showdown!". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
2. Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.
3. Christgau, Robert (1990). "Consumer Guide--Albums of the '80s: C". Consumer Guide--Albums of the '80s. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024 – via robertchristgau.com.
4. "Showdown! - Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, Robert Cray | Releases". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
5. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1999/BB-1999-01-09.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}
6. "Showdown! - Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, Robert Cray | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
7. "Showdown! - Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, Robert Cray | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 May 2021.