He was born in Widener, Arkansas (the 14th of 15 musically gifted children) first connected to the blues at age ten, when he began playing the diddley bow (a wire attached by nails to a wall with rocks for bridges and a bottle to fret the wire). His family migrated to Chicago in 1951, and Luther began soaking in the sounds of Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Robert Nighthawk. He was classmates with Muddy Waters' son and occasionally stopped in the Waters' house to watch the master rehearse. It wasn't until he was 18 already in Chicago for seven years that Luther began playing blues on a real guitar and jamming with his brother Ollie's band. He began hanging outside blues clubs with the hopes of being invited to perform. He played with Howlin' Wolf's band and backed up James Cotton.
By 1957, Allison had dropped out of school and formed a band called The Rolling Stones. Unhappy with the name, they became The Four Jivers, gigging all over the West Side of Chicago. Before long, Luther was jamming with the West Side's best, including Magic Sam, Otis Rush, and Freddie King, who encouraged Allison to sing. "That," said Allison, "was my school." When King began to tour nationally in the early 1960s, Allison took over King's band as well as his weekly gigs at Walton's Corner and became one of the hottest acts on the West Side. For five years, Allison honed his craft. He moved to California for a year and cut sides with fellow Chicagoans Shakey Jake Harris and Sunnyland Slim.
His big break came in 1957 when Muddy Waters invited Allison to the stage. He worked the club circuit throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s and recorded his first single in 1965. Allison was signed to the Delmark Records label in fall 1967. He cut his first two songs as a leader on the now-classic Delmark anthology, Sweet Home Chicago, before releasing his debut album Love Me Mama. He performed a stellar, show stopping, set at the 1969 Ann Arbor Blues Festival and was invited to the next three consecutive festivals. He also toured nation-wide and, in 1972, was signed to Motown Records, one of the few blues artists to do so. By the mid 1970s he began touring Europe, enjoyed the warm reception by the crowds and moved to France in 1977. He wouldn't return to the United States for another fifteen years disgusted by the disco music that started there.
LUTHER ALLISON's manager and European agent Thomas Ruf founded the label Ruf Records in 1994. Since signing with Ruf Records, Allison launched a major comeback in association with Alligator Records. Alligator Records founder, Bruce Iglauer, convinced Allison to return to the States. With the release of Soul Fixin' Man in 1994, Allison's first domestic album in 20 years, he announced his return. "Fever and chills performances," said Guitar Player, "ferocious solos combine the wisdom of a master storyteller with the elegance of B.B. King, the elasticity of Buddy Guy, and the big sting of Albert King."
After three mammoth U.S. tours, America once again was paying attention to LUTHER ALLISON. On his American comeback tour, including his nationally broadcast and typically jaw-dropping set at the 1995 Chicago Blues Festival, LUTHER ALLISON announced to the world that he was not only back, he was unstoppable. And now he has the trophies to prove it, having received every award the blues has to offer. He swept the 1996 W.C.Handy Awards with five statues, won 10 Living Blues Awards and a 1995 Indie Award, and played in front of hundreds of thousands of screaming fans at festivals and clubs all over the world. He appeared on the cover of Living Blues, Blues Revue, Blues Access, and was the subject of major feature stories and reviews in Guitar Player, Guitar World, and Guitar For The Practicing Musician, as well as being featured on National Public Radio's Weekend All Things Considered and The Late Show With Conan O'Brien. "LUTHER ALLISON", proclaimed Blues Revue," is the New King of the Blues."
Allison followed up with Blue Streak, and the praise and accolades poured in. "A sonic roar as soulful as his gospel-shout vocals," raved the Washington Post. "Luther Allison's latest is nothing short of a masterpiece by a master," reported Blues Revue. Continued touring brought Allison before raving fans around the world, as he brought his band from the San Francisco Blues Festival to New York's Central Park Summerstage, with all stops in between. With Reckless, Allison reached even greater heights. Guitar World said, "Reckless in the best sense of the word, dancing on a razor's edge, remaining just this side of out-of-control. Hard-driving, piercing West Side Chicago single-note leads with a soul base and a rock edge."
Luther toured the US and Canada thoroughly and his fan base grew to his mind-blowing performances. Both Allison and Soul Fixin' Man won four WC Handy Awards in 1994. With the James Solberg Band backing him, non-stop touring and the release of Blue Streak (featuring song "Cherry Red Wine"), Allison continued to earn more Handy's and gain wider recognition. Allison scored a host of Living Blues Awards and was featured on the cover pages of major Blues publications. Throughout it all, Allison delivered one show-stopping performance after another. His boundless energy and fierce guitar attack combined to make him a blues superstar who reached rock fans like no bluesmen since Freddie King and Albert Collins. Allison was known for his strong showmanship, ten minute long guitar solos and crowd walking with an extra long cord attached to his Gibson Les Paul.
In the middle of his summer of '97 tour, Allison checked into a hospital for chest pains and breathing problems. Unfortunately, it was discovered that he had a tumor on his lung that was about to metastasize to his spine. In and out of a coma, LUTHER ALLISON died on August 12, 1997, five days before his 58th birthday. His album Reckless had just been released. Without a doubt, LUTHER ALLISON's death robbed music fans of one of the most exciting and popular blues performers ever. With Live In Chicago, Allison lives on, as he tears through the songs with the single-minded desire to give everything he has to his audience. While listening to the album, fans can immerse themselves in the explosive power of LUTHER ALLISON's music and experience the redemptive force of his legendary performances. Not only did he leave his legacy to never be forgotten, but his son Bernard Allison (born 1965) is an exceptional blues guitarist in his own right.
Cherry Red Wine
Luther Allison Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watching you all the time
Watching you baby
Just watching you all the time
Watching you destroy yourself woman
All you do is sit around drinking wine
You worry me babe
I'm sitting here wondering what in the world can I do
Worry me babe
I'm sitting wondering what in the world can I do
We've got so much to live for darling
But I just can't sit here doing nothing and watching that wine destory you
I'm talking you to the doctor darling
Maybe the doctor knows what's going on in your head
Yeah I'm taking you to the doctor darling
Maybe he knows what's going on in your head
You're gonna keep on drinking that bad wine baby
Even the grass that grows on your grave will be cherry red
The lyrics to Luther Allison's song Cherry Red Wine tell the story of a man who is watching the woman he loves slowly destroy herself with alcohol. He spends his time watching her and worrying about what he can do to help her. He recognizes that she has so much to live for but can see the wine slowly taking over and ruining everything.
The man is so worried about his love's drinking and the destructive effect it is having on her that he decides to take her to the doctor. He hopes that the doctor can help her and figure out what is going on inside her head. However, he feels powerless because he knows that she will continue to drink and that the wine will eventually kill her. The final lines of the song, "Even the grass that grows on your grave will be cherry red" serve as a warning and a testament to the power of alcohol addiction.
The song is a powerful and emotional commentary on the devastating effects of alcoholism. It touches on themes of love, helplessness, and the destructive power of addiction. The lyrics are poignant, and the slow blues melody adds to the somber and reflective mood of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Watching you babe
I'm observing you closely
Watching you all the time
I'm constantly keeping an eye on you
Watching you baby
I'm monitoring your actions
Just watching you all the time
I'm always looking out for you
Watching you destroy yourself woman
I'm witnessing you harm yourself through excessive alcohol consumption
All you do is sit around drinking wine
All your activities revolve around consuming wine
You worry me babe
You're causing me concern
I'm sitting here wondering what in the world can I do
I'm wondering how I could help you
Worry me babe
You're causing me anxiety
We've got so much to live for darling
We have a lot to look forward to
But I just can't sit here doing nothing and watching that wine destory you
But I can't just sit here and watch you destroy yourself with wine
I'm talking you to the doctor darling
I'm taking you to a doctor
Maybe the doctor knows what's going on in your head
Perhaps the doctor can help diagnose and treat your underlying problems
You're gonna keep on drinking that bad wine baby
You're going to keep drinking that low-quality wine
Even the grass that grows on your grave will be cherry red
Your alcohol abuse will eventually lead to your demise and even the ground on which you're buried will be stained red as a result
Lyrics © Exceleration Music Partners, LLC
Written by: LUTHER SYLVESTER ALLISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Neymar Junior
Watching you babe
Watching you all the time
Watching you baby
Just watching you all the time
Watching you destroy yourself woman
All you do is sit around drinking wine
You worry me babe
I'm sitting here wondering what in the world can I do
Worry me babe
I'm sitting wondering what in the world can I do
We've got so much to live for darling
But I just can't sit here doing nothing and watching that wine destory you
I'm talking you to the doctor darling
Maybe the doctor knows what's going on in your head
Yeah I'm taking you to the doctor darling
Maybe he knows what's going on in your head
You're gonna keep on drinking that bad wine baby
Even the grass that grows on your grave will be cherry red
ojnabieoot
Of course the vocals and guitar work are impeccable, but this is also a great piece of blues poetry. Allison was a genius.
young tuc NAM
Yes he was my freind
gray guy
Got that right!
Giants588
Excellent minor blues, and the late Luther Allison makes you realize why he was such an outstanding bluesman. He cuts you to the bone with the feeling he puts into it. Actually, I thought he was vastly underrated. I felt he never got the recognition he deserved.
Giants588
Luther Allison was tremendous. He totally kicks ass playing this minor blues!
Julie Marino
He won the W. C. Handy award for this song.
Kenneth Hamilton
Just came online to listen to one of the performers I’ve seen live. Walking through the crowd killing on that guitar. I was sad when I heard he shad passed away because I was planning on seeing him again. RIP to a great blues man who even though he won a Handy award was still underrated
JDFauser
This song was the first time I listened to Luther Allison. It is also the first time any guitar player blew me away.
Da Xman
Luther Allison was a serious talent combined in an inimitable genuine and natural born real person who was a blues great, and also a true blues hero. No one one captured the blues, R&B and rock vibe with quite the authority that Luther Allison seemed to actually be, just as a natural born matter. It may be "just a song", but Cherry Red is one of the most immediately urgent and intensely heartfelt pleas of real tragedy.
Daniel Hogan
This has to be one of the top 10 All-time electric blues songs!