I came across Ben Atkins' Patchouli researching records which featured any of The Swampers on them. Atkins was apparently the first white signed to the Stax offshoot label Enterprise. He only recorded this one album from what I gather and it sank without a trace.
The joys of internet shopping means that it is not impossible to track many of these lost gems down and not always prohibitively expensive to get them. In fact I managed to get this beauty for about $15. A Bargain.
Side One features The Swampers augmented by Wayne Perkins (considered as a potential replacement for Mick Taylor in the Stones and was featured on some of Black and Blue) and ems to have been recorded at 3614 Jackson Highway, Side Two features one of the best rhythm sections of all time with Al Jackson Jr on drums and Duck Dunn on bass and was recorded at Stax Studios. So you can not argue with the musicianship.
The album opens with a lost Dan Penn Song - I Love this Songs but the standard of songs does not let up Cross My Mind, Good Times are Coming, That Brings Me Down standing out for me.
When I started writing this blog I mentioned how who is successful and who is not does not appear to be based on talent so much as luck. It is hard to understand why this album was not more successful but finding it is one of the reasons I collect music. Search it out - listen, you will not be dissappointed.
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