Veteran bluesman Eddie Kirkland sings, strums, and blows the harmonica in eleven raw blues tunes on his Telarc debut, Lonely Street. Eddie is accompanied by his core team of Greg Hoover, guitar; James Thacker, bass; and Darren Thiboutot, drums; plus a terrific line-up of special guests. Recorded at age 70, Kirkland showed no signs of slowing down the burning energy that has contributed to his on-stage acrobatics and dynamic recording dates, and caused some folks to accuse him of “frailing” the guitar. Inspired by soulful preacher’s ad-libs of his youth and an array of life-events, Kirkland writes and plays what he hears in his head. Tunes like “Gates of Heaven,” written for his mother’s funeral, demonstrate how real-life pain works its way into his blues. “Pick up the Pieces,” a lost-love lament, is a long-time favorite, and “Done Somebody Wrong” tells an apologetic story punctuated with poignant guitar licks. Born in Jamaica in 1928 and raised in Alabama, Kirkland moved to the fertile musical environment of the Motor City in 1943. There, he joined in the local blues scene before becoming second guitarist for John Lee Hooker five years later. Kirkland left Detroit for Macon, Georgia in 1962, and signed on with Otis Redding to record “The Hawg.” Lonely Street captures the essence of Kirkland’s particular brand of blues. Kirkland’s music is as original as it gets; Lonely Street is the real, aching blues at its best.