Catchgroove’s Hall Of Fame: Bobby King and Terry Evans – Live and Let Live!

I am not sure how I originally stumbled upon this release in 1988.  My guess is that it was inspired by my appreciation of John Hiatt’s Bring the Family.  That Hiatt album was produced by Ry Cooder and Cooder’s guitar was a major contribution to that album’s greatness.  King and Evans had been backup singers on several Ry Cooder albums and I assumed Cooder’s production of Live and Let Live! on the heals of the Hiatt release would likely be a winner.  Good guess, it is a great album.  

Bobby King and Terry Evans are soul/gospel singers.  They are great singers and these are great songs, but Cooder’s playing is the reason this is a hall of fame album. 

Most songs have loose and rusty sound.  This works perfect: gritty vocalists and gritty guitarist.  There is only one song that is a bit too slick for its own good (“Saturday Night).  The rest are perfect.