One immediate enthusiast was Fred Litwin who saw Slim at the 2005 WC Handy Awards. That occasion, plus ensuing standing-ovation performances convinced Litwin (NorthernBlues Records) that Slim was that rare find whose every pore was soaked in Blues realism. Their styles may be quite different, but like Otis Taylor--who also took the Blues world by storm after getting signed to NorthernBlues---Watermelon Slim’s ascent to prominence was the culmination of 4 decades spent distilling life’s hard lessons through a Blues filter. On Check Writing Woman, that well-mined Blues motif of female profligacy is put under the microscope, and the result is mayhem and mirth. This is one check that won’t bounce! Ash Tray is one of many semi-autobiographical tracks that provide fascinating peeks into the struggles, demons, and setbacks that have provided nutrients for Slim’s fertile imagination. Bad Sinner is another standout, realizing the expectations of its title as Slim’s tormented delivery and crying slide guitar team up on a potent confessional Blues. It’s immersed in the self-reflection of a sinner seeking belated salvation. Hard Labor has instant classic written over it, as Slim delivers a bone shaking performance that explains why he quit his day job. Juke Joint Woman features Slim wailing some dirty, low-down harp, and if you’re searching for lyrics dripping in cynicism, this is the place to start. It just doesn’t get better than this, folks! Eau De Boue is a bounteous tribute to many great Bluesmen. Sorting out the French versions of their names (Jean Le Crochet, B.B. Le Roi, Loup Hurlant) must have come to Slim in a dream. Watermelon Slim does those mentors and Blues tradition proud, simply because he’s the real deal, a Blues poet, and that howl in his voice will keep you up nights. -by Gary Tate/LivinBlues