Mighty Sam McClain A Diamond in the Rough

Mighty Sam McClain
A Diamond in the Rough
Sledgehammer Blues

I miss Mighty Sam McClain. One of the finest of the deep soul singers who recorded a bunch of classic 45s, his career blossomed after he started recording albums and crossing over to the blues audience. "A Diamond in the Rough" contains his final recordings made shortly before his passing in 2015, which are stripped-down recordings on which the only accompaniment is by Pat Herlehy's acoustic guitars with saxophones or flute added to some.

There is the celebratory feel of "My Everything" where his performance evokes Solomon Burke and followed by a slow blues, "When the Hurt is Over," that he soulfully sings over Herlehy's simple backing while Herlehy adds some single note runs. "Grooving" is a mid-tempo song on which Herlehy adds tenor sax over his guitar backing as he pleads for his woman to hold him and groove him as he growls, shouts and scats the lyrics. Charles Neville collaborated with McClain on "Love's Gonna Find," another soulful song with a gospel flavor, with McClain's fervent singing enlivened by some gutbucket tenor sax.

"Love Me If You Want To" has another solid blues vocal on a theme related to the James Cotton classic "Love Me or Leave Me," where he tells his woman he's tired of waiting on her, so make up your mind. One has to be impressed by the vigor and the virtuosity if McClain's singing throughout, but kudos go out to Herlehy with his solo on "Question" particularly impressive. Herlehy is on flute on "Believe" where Sam sings we can make it if we try, and let's get together to set us free. Perhaps he was aware of his mortality when singing "Southern Land" and reflecting about "going back to where it all started from" and how he misses it.

"Holy Ghost Fever" is a stirring, gospel lyric set to a blues groove and recollections of Muddy Waters, and Howlin' Wolf and others. The acoustic nature of these performances lend them an intimacy but also these performances sound as if not completely finished. A full horn section and a rhythm section would have provided a fuller backing to frame the vocals. For this reason, this atypical recording will most appeal to those already fans of Mighty Sam McClain. For those not familiar with his music, one might suggest "Sledgehammer Soul and Down Home Blues," "Sweet Dreams," or "Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey)" over this recording.

I received my review copy from the record company. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 384), although a couple of minor stylistic changes have been made. Here he is heard on "When the Hurt is Over."

Mighty Sam McClain Finds Too Much Jesus and Not Enough Whiskey

One of the finest of the blues and soul vocalists that are working in the vein pioneered by great singers like Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland and the late Solomon Burke is Mighty Sam McClain. McClain had a new CD Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey) (Mighty Music) that was produced by Gerry Putnam, Pat Herlehy and Mighty Sam McClain. The 14 originals have the singer backed by a band that includes a killer band that includes Pat Herlehy – guitar, tenor sax, flute, clavinet, Hammond B-3, strings, percussion and drums; Chad Owen – bass; Rick Page – drums; Joe Deleault – piano, organ, Fender Rhodes; Scott Shetler – tenor sax, baritone sax; Russell Jewell – trombone; Grayson Farmer – trumpet; and Concetta – background vocals. The recording features arrangements by Herlehy, with horn arrangements by Shetler and Herlehy.

This particular recording has more of a straight southern soul feel than some of his other recordings such his recent collaboration with Norwegian guitarist Knut Reiersrud, One Drop Is Plenty (Valley Vue). The grooves on this new release are funkier and the horns are more prominent with less blues-styled guitar. This tone is set on the opening Wish You Well, with a brief sax solo as McClain sings about wishing one well when their short romance has run. Missing You in contrast has him singing about his regrets about another relationship that ran its course although as he prays to God to make things clear about what went wrong. 

Feel So Good is a funky number where McClain sings about “grooving on your love and getting ready to land on your heart.” Stand Up! is a message song about standing up for the children, together and for love, with nice guitar fills and punchy horns. Real Thing has an intriguing mix of sacred and secular in its lyrics while Use Me is song of praise where Sam thanks the Lord for all he has given Sam. Other songs also deal with relationships as being what God planned such as So Into You, or a more direct gospel message on Wake Up Call, although the title song has an interesting take about someone losing their friends because the only thing on their mind was too much Jesus on their mind and not enough fun in their lives. Herlehy’s arrangement is quite ingenious with the atmospheric employment of strings. 

Even as he urges everyone to get on the floor on the closing Dance there is reference to the higher power. At the same time, there is never anything contrived or forced about the performances here. The songs are sung with completely authority and the backing is solid and full. The result is another marvelous Mighty Sam McClain recording.

I received a review copy from a publicist. Here is a clip of Might Sam in performance.