Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland-Showdown! (1985)

"Showdown" is one of the best blues albums of the 1980s, recorded by three of the greatest bluesmen of the late 20th century: Robert Cray, Albert Collins, and Johnny Copeland. This collaboration was made possible by the efforts of the independent blues label Alligator, which for years championed the genre and, since its founding in 1971, has released hundreds of albums by such important artists as Lonnie Mack, Koko Taylor, Charlie Musselwhite, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Roy Buchanan, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Elvis Bishop, and Joe Louis Walker, among many others. For this recording, the label brought together three of the most iconic artists in its catalog, each with a distinct style. On one hand, there's the smooth, soulful tone of Robert Cray, with his lyrical and melodic technique on his Fender Stratocaster. In the middle is Johnny Copeland, with his deep, powerful voice and a more rudimentary, raw guitar technique. And finally, there's Albert Collins, with a cool style, heavy, forceful guitar work, and a high-pitched voice that earned him the nickname "Iceman." These three giants deliver a repertoire that offers no respite from the excitement, with each track standing out, such as the lustful country blues "Your Fine Self Home", the elegant blues "The Dream", the playful "The Moon Is Full", and the soulful "She's Into Something". All of these, along with the rest, result in a fantastic blues album, crafted by three unique guitarists, three passionate voices, and three distinct approaches to playing the blues. An album that would unequivocally win the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Recording in 1986.