Review: Big Daddy Wilson – Smiling All Day Long
Big Daddy Wilson – Smiling All Day Long
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital
Label: Continental Blue Heaven – Continental Record Services
Release: 2025
Text: Bert van Kessel
After the much-lauded ‘Plan B‘ from 2024, which warm-voiced Big Daddy Wilson made with Italy’s best kept blues secret The Goosebumps Brothers, here’s its eagerly anticipated successor. He took the Brothers into the studio with him and recorded half of this new album with them in Milan and sat in the producer’s seat himself. The other tracks were recorded with various line-ups in studios all over Europe. Big Daddy penned twelve of the fourteen tracks. He infuses his blues with elements of soul, jazz and gospel, all bound together by this incredibly warm voice.
Big Daddy was born as Adam Wison Blount in 1960 in a segregated North Carolina and he has lived the blues. He made this very positive album because he wants us to keep smiling in spite of all the adversity the world is facing nowadays and that’s why he pours this warmth all over us.
The opening and title track Smiling All Day Long features Eric Bibb on guitar and vocals. Like no other he is able to take on the positive spirit of the song, which is drenched in gratitude for all the good things in life, which make Big Daddy smile with happiness, “counting his blessings” and he wants us to join in that feeling, Just listening to this inspiring track surely takes us a long way!
The gripping Hard Time Done Come was inspired by the killing of George Floyd. Big Daddy digs deep here and gives a fantastic voice to the pain that flooded all over the USA. But there is always warmth and a smile that help us deal with the misery in today’s society.
Lulabelle Is a sweet lovesong with an enthusiastic slide guitar by Robbie Macintosh. It is followed by Way Down South, a fascinating hardcore blues track with Steve Baker excelling on the harmonica. In spite of its sad theme, the funky She Don’t Love Me No More is upbeat and optimistic. On the intimate acoustic Walking lead vocals are shared beteen Big Daddy and Hans Theessink, who also contributes some impressive acoustic slide guitar. This track showcases Big Daddy’s admiration for the protesting folk troubadours of the sixties and seventies. Can We Live in Peace is a clearcut message which goes straight to everybody’s heart ; yes it’s up to all of us! After the emotional lovesong By Your Side Big Daddy’s pervasive vocals do justice to Bill Withers’ beautiful piano ballad My Imagination and on Old School he relives the Rhythm & Blues of Sam Cooke.
Eric Bibb again lends a hand on the traditional gospel track I Want Jesus to Walk with Me .Then the heartfelt Anna Mae concludes this phenomenal listening experience.
The warmth of this enchanting album could cause a melt-down of your freezer.
Big Daddy will be touring this winter. Check out his tourdates for a venue near you.
Tracks:
01. Smiling All Day Long (feat. Eric Bibb)
02. Hard Time Done Come
03. Lulabelle (feat. Robbie Macintosh)
04. Way Down South (feat. Steve Baker)
05. Still Counting Down
06. She Don’t Love Me No More
07. Walking (feat. Hans Theessink)
08. Can We Live In Peace
09. By Your Side
10. My Imagination
11. Old School
12. Trying To Find My Way Home
13. I Want Jesus To Walk With Me (feat. Eric Bibb)
14. Anna Mae
Website: https://www.bigdaddywilson.com/