Delbert McClinton got an early start in Fort Worth playing wherever and whenever he could. His first instrument was the harmonica and he found plenty of work on the local club scene, where musicians often made their living by playing completely different styles of music on different nights of the week.
McClinton’s career was set in a slow growth mode and took him nearly two decades to evolve into a bona fide solo artist. He was already a critics’ darling and favorite of his peers.
A change of scene did him good after he moved out west to Los Angeles in 1972. Delbert teamed up with Fort Worth singer/songwriter Glen Clark as Delbert & Glen and recorded two country rock albums.
Though his albums were not commercial successes, other artists started to mine McClinton’s catalog for material. Emmylou Harris took his “Two More Bottles of Wine” all the way to the top of the country charts in 1978. A switch to Capricorn produced two albums; 1978’s Second Wind featured his original version of “B Movie Boxcar Blues,” later a part of the Blues Brothers repertoire. When Capricorn folded, he moved to the Muscle Shoals Sound imprint and his 1980 label debut, The Jealous Kind, gave him his first Top 40 single in “Givin’ It Up for Your Love,” a hit on both the pop and country charts.
He’s been active as a sideman since 1962 and as a band leader since 1972 and recorded albums for several major record labels. McClinton has cut singles which reached the Billboard Hot 100, Mainstream Rock Tracks, and Hot Country Songs charts. His highest-charting single was “Tell Me About It”, a 1992 duet with Tanya Tucker, which reached number 4 on the Country chart. Four of his albums have been number 1 on the U.S. Blues chart, and another reached number 2.
Three-time Grammy award winner Delbert McClinton & Self-Made Men band have released their newest recording, Prick Of The Litter. The current single is “Don’t Do It” and is one of ten originals from Delbert. Lou Ann Barton punches into the swing of this classic roadhouse R&B tune. Delbert’s guests and tight band make it fun listening; click through on the video below.
Discography
Delbert & Glen (1972)
Subject to Change (1973)
Victim of Life’s Circumstances (1975)
Genuine Cowhide (1976)
Love Rustler(1977)
Second Wind (1978)
Keeper of the Flame(1979)
The Jealous Kind (1980)
Plain from the Heart (1981)
Honky Tonkin’ (1987)
Honky Tonkin’ (1989)
Live from Austin(1989)
I’m with You (1990)
Never Been Rocked Enough(1992)
Feelin’ Alright (1993)
(Delbert McClinton (1993)
Shot From The Saddle (1994)
Honky Tonk ‘n Blues (1994)
Let the Good Times Roll(1995)
One of the Fortunate Few (1997)
Nothing Personal (2001)
Room to Breathe(2002)
Live(2003)
Cost of Living(2005)
Live from Austin, TX (2006)
Rockin’ Blues (2007)
Acquired Taste (2009)
Blind, Crippled and Crazy (2013)
Prick of the Litter (2017)
Links:
Allmusic.com – Delbert McClinton biography
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyloZZL1CKY