Albert Collins
The Master of The Telecaster
The Ice Man



Albert Collins The Master of The Telecaster

I started listening to Albert Collins about three years ago. I had just started high school. There was one song I liked called "Conversation With Collins." This introduced me to the blues, but I really noticed that Albert was really unique in his playing style. It was unlike any other.

On 99.7 WRFX, The Fox, in Charlotte, North Carolina they call him "Uncle Albert," but he is better known as "The Master of The Telecaster," " The Ice Man" and even the " Houston Twister ".

You could say music was in his blood. His famous cousin Lighting Hopkins, more know for acoustic blues than electric guitar.

He was around a lot because Albert's mother was close to the Hopkins. Albert started with the piano, not the guitar, but in 1994 he told a reporter for Guitar Player that he always "heard" the guitar calling him. By the '50s Albert started going up the West Coast playing music. When he was around 20 years old BB King told Albert to get his own identity. He sure did that!

For a while Albert had some hard times. He was living day-to-day driving a truck for a living until his wife told him to go back to his roots and find a record deal. That is when Alligator Records came along and found him. In 1978 he released his first Alligator CD called "Ice Pickin's." In my opinion it is one of his best Albums .In 1985 he recorded an album with Johnny Copeland and Robert Cray. They won a Grammy. This is also one of my favorite Alligator releases.

In the '80s he was well known in the industry. He played at "Live Aid," and he played with Robert Plant and James Brown. His sound is a mix of blues, jazz, and R&B all in one. But you can tell his sound from other guitarists .My favorite songs from Albert Collins are:


Black Cat Bone
Albert's Alley
Black Jack
The Lights Are On But Nobody's Home
I Ain't Drunk
Too Many Dirty Dishes
When The Welfare Turns Its Back On You
Cold, Cold Feeling
Too Tired
Master Charge
Conversation With Collins
Don't Go Reaching Across My Plate

When he died on Nov. 24, 1993, it was a sad day for the blues world. They lost one of the greatest blues men to ever play on this earth. I think it's very sad that my generation has no idea who Albert Collins is, or was. That man could play.


Albert Collins Web Pages


Albert Collins The Master of the Telecaster

Albert "The Iceman" Collins

Albert Collins (1932 - 1993)

Albert Collins