In 1964 Hopkins appeared on the Steve Allen talk show. I’ve just returned from the UCLA Film and Television Archives where I watched a clip of it. Here’s a preview from my book about this TV appearance.
Steve Allen
Hopkins taped an appearance for the Steve Allen show on June 24, 1964. Allen, a multi-talented television personality, created and then hosted the Tonight Show for NBC from 1953-1957, which made him one of America’s most popular TV personalities. By 1964 he was hosting a syndicated show for Westinghouse, which was the same variety format that he had developed on the Tonight Show. This show Hopkins performed was broadcast in August 1964.
Hopkins was joined on Allen’s show by British movie star Laurence Harvey, Don Sherman, Bernie Kopell, singer Renee Roberts and Dr. Bergen Evans. Though Allen did not interview Hopkins, he did let him to play two songs. Allen gave him a typical talk show host’s fluffy introduction saying “One of the best, most authentic of the blues singers. … he’s considered by many people in the folk music field, the king of the blues. He’s been playing guitar since he was 8 years old …”
Hopkins looked every inch a movie star, with a fresh conk in his hair, dark sunglasses, pinkie ring, white shirt, narrow dark tie and a sharp dark colored suit with narrow lapels as was fashionable then. Sitting on a stool, he played his Gibson acoustic guitar with a mike in the sound hole through a small amplifier. For some reason the name Gibson was blacked out on the headstock of his guitar. Two very conservative looking white men, probably from show’s house band, Don Trenner and his orchestra, backed him, one on stand up bass and one on a small drum kit.
Hopkins played one of the first songs he ever recorded “Katie Mae.” The band followed along gingerly. After receiving a round of applause from the live studio audience Hopkins introduced his next song, somewhat unintelligibly, as “This is [?] on Ray Charles, I ain’t got no business doing it, but I’m gonna do it.” Hopkins did a version of “What’d I Say” which was released as “Me and Ray Charles” on his Hootin’ the Blues album. This time the band is right with him, dropping out and coming in at the right places. It’s clear Hopkins is having a ball playing in a fancy TV studio for overdressed white folks. The crowd lets him know they appreciate him too and gave him another big round of applause when he finished.
Lightning Hopkins book 
