Louis Hobbs CD

Louis Hobbs' claim to fame, as far as rockabilly collectors are concerned, is the single "Mama, Mama, Mama," a Chuck Berry-style rocker that appeared on the Buddy-Buddy label in 1962. In the early '80s, as Lou Hobbs, he scored a few minor country hits on the national charts. Although the booklet provides no annotation, this 26-track anthology compiles Hobbs' Buddy-Buddy single, two mid-'60s singles for the Van label, and his three minor country hits from 1981-1982 (including one that registered only in Cash Box). Hobbs came from Cape Girardeau, a city on the Mississippi River in southern Missouri, so his country-soul style often integrates elements of Louisiana swamp pop. He worked with Narvel Felts' band, and Felts produced and/or wrote many of the songs on this collection. Apart from the handful of '60s singles and the three '80s hits, the other recordings sound as though they might be demos from the '70s. The songs that aren't Felts' compositions are mostly covers of classic rock, and R&B hits such as "Bony Moronie," "Mountain of Love," and "Big Boss Man." More information about the recordings would have been appreciated, but the anthology at least succeeds in rounding up Hobbs' most important cuts. ~ Greg Adams