October 2000

Lonnie Shields
Midnight Delight
Rooster Blues

By Bill Milkowski

On the soul-blues tip comes Lonnie Shields with Midnight Delight (Rooster Blues R2633; 43:46). The talented Arkansas native paid his dues in Delta juke joints and pays homage to those rough times on the tough blues "Arkansas Is My Home." He also refers to B.B. King on the shuffling instrumental "DeSoto Bridge" and the slow-blues closer, "Lookin' Up the Blues." But the rest carries the quintessentially Memphis vibe of a vintage Hi Records session (particularly "Same Kind of Lovin'").