Amazon.comThis Texas blues avatar actually began recording in 1958 yet never made inroads until he signed with Rounder in 1981. The 12 searing cuts on this set (a budget-friendly alternative to the Texas Twister compilation) are culled from five of Clyde's 1980s Rounder efforts, and they offer a wonderful glimpse of his horn-driven, jazz-inflected, propulsive blues. As a guitarist, Copeland had much of the fluency of his idol T-Bone Walker, but he added a touch of B.B. King's emotionalism and Albert Collins's bite. As a vocalist, his pained, growling delivery is so cutting that it may even hurt your throat. Copeland also deserves acclaim as a songwriter (all dozen songs here are his own) who always found a new way to interpret the blues' classic themes. --Marc Greilsamer