Sonny Landreth
When: 8 p.m. doors, 9:30 p.m. show, Saturday
Where: The State Theater, 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church
Details: Ages 18 and over; $20; 703-237-0300; thestatetheatre.com
Second chances are rare.
Louisiana-based singer/songwriter/slide-guitar great Sonny Landreth has one, though, with the re-release of his CD “Levee Town,” originally released in 2000.
“I kind of felt it never got its due when it was originally released,” said Landreth, who reissued the album on his own label “Landfall Records.” “I went back and we dug up this session andÉit was fun to work on — it kind of gave [the music] a fresh take.”
Unlike Landreth’s last album “From the Reach,” which featured collaborations with such luminaries as Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, and Vince Gill, “Levee Town” is pure Landreth with songs focusing on the Deep South and the inspirational wellspring there.
Those that know Landreth’s work realize he has made a career of pure, unpretentious playing that literally goes back to his New Orleans’ roots. Another recent example is the recording of his 2005 live album “Grant Street” at Layfaette’s Grant Street Dancehall. The CD showcases his band’s reinvention of songs from its previous eight albums. That would be daunting for many but Landreth approaches his shows as production pieces, filled with energy and elegance.
Combine that with his incredible playing and it’s easy to understand why so many musical greats jump at the chance to play with Landreth. Clapton has said publicly that Landreth is “probably the most underestimated musician on the planet and also probably one of the most advanced.”
Landreth honed his musical chops an early age. He learned to play trumpet at age 10 when he became enchanted with the Delta blues sound. When he was about 13, he began to play guitar, emulating his blues heroes. Before long, Landreth had a fan base all his own.
When’s he’s called the Frank Sinatra of guitarists — because so many great players flock to work with him as they did with Sinatra — he seems flattered although brushes the compliment away. Currently writing his next album, Landreth is unsure if he’ll have guest spots available for other players.
“I haven’t really decided yet,” he said. “I really did enjoy [the collaborations because] they push me in creative directions I wouldn’t have gone otherwise; but I don’t want to take what was a cool think and overdo it.”
