Lou Ann Barton
Album: Read My Lips
Release Date: 1989
Read My Lips is unadulterated Texas Roadhouse blues, and Lou Ann Barton howls into the microphone with what Margaret Moser described as “a voice that can peel chrome from a trailer hitch.” It’s widely considered a redemption album for her that was seven years in the making. Jerry Wexler produced her first album and pulled her away from her band and Texas roots to record a more subdued album in the backwoods of Alabama. That album had its charms, but lacked the veracity that set the vocalist apart. Moser summed it up by saying, “the Lou Ann we know lights fires with her Fort Worth twang, and on Old Enough, she merely smolders.”
Lou Ann wasn’t going to smolder again on Read My Lips. Clifford Antone produced this album and he wanted to capture the vibrant energy Lou Ann brought to her live shows. The album sounds like it was recorded live in a Texas blues club because that is pretty much how they did it. (Technically, it was recorded at Arlyn Studios rather than a club, but the sound was intentional.) It’s a celebration of the talent coalescing at Antone’s during this era. Jimmie Vaughan, Derek O’Brien, Danny Freeman, and David Grissom all provide guitar work. David “Fathead” Newman, Joe Sublet, Mark Kazanoff, and Rocky Morales play saxophone. Jon Blondell and George Rains are constants on the bass and drums. Lou Ann is the unquestioned star.
She unleashes a vocal onslaught that earns her a position among the best that have ever done it. She wasn’t destined to be a household name, but she is one of the biggest fish to swim in the Austin pond. During one run, she won vocalist of the year at the Austin Music Awards three times in five years, and then they gave up and inducted her into the hall of fame. Lou Ann was reserved for Austin, and she was one of the key figures in establishing Austin’s reputation as a blues town. This album is special. If you have not heard it yet, you are about to listen to the best album you’ve never listened to before. If you’ve listened before, you know you are about to spend an evening with an old friend. Grab your Negroni, close your eyes, and picture yourself in a dimly lit blues club in Austin while an all-star collection of locals set the stage on fire.
The Negroni
The Negroni, a classic cocktail with a history spanning over a century, has its origins in Florence, Italy, where it was first crafted by Count Camillo Negroni. The simple recipe of equal parts Gin, Vermouth, and Campari merge to form bold and complex flavors.
The simple concoction has provided inspiration for generations of cocktails. Iterations of the Negroni itself could fill several menus. Amongst the many variations, Campari remains the single constant. When it comes to Campari, there is no suitable replacement. However, there is flexibility in choosing a Gin and Vermouth combination that suits your preferences. A traditional dry gin like Bombay Sapphire works nicely. Any sweet vermouth will suffice, but it’s preferable to honor the cocktail’s Italian heritage by using a native product. Cocchi is an excellent option.
Ingredients
- 1 oz Gin
- 1 oz Campari
- 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
Directions
- Add the Gin, Campari and Vermouth to a mixing glass filled with ice, stir until chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
- Garnish with an orange peel.
