Rockin' Red Rooster

The slashing “Rockin’ Red Rooster” was introduced by Chicago bluesman Lonnie Brooks on his 1996 album Roadhouse Rules. Albert had handed the song to Bruce Iglauer when the Alligator Records founder was recording Kenny Neal at Bob Greenlee’s King Snake studio in Sanford, Florida (Greenlee also had a label of the same name). Neal had borrowed Albert’s acoustic axe for the date, and Iglauer offered to pay Bashor for its use. “I said, ‘Bruce, listen. I don’t care about you paying me for the guitar, but when you get on the plane and go home, and you’re no longer thinking about this project, would you please listen to my demo?’” recalls Albert. “I was truly honored that Lonnie thought enough of my songs to record one.”