Hugs & Misses: Last Man Standing

 Huh? Is Chuck Berry, who just turned 80, not a �Founding Father�?  What about Fats Domino and Little Richard (who, by the way, does a forgettable version of "I Saw Her Standing There" on the CD with Jerry Lee)?  Heck, what about Ike Turner?  In the CD�s booklet, Jerry  Lee even credits African-American gospel singer/guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe as performing rock �n� roll when he was eight or nine years old.  Maybe she�s a �Founding Mother." Anyway, that said, this CD is a fun romp that doesn�t always succeed artistically, but is nonetheless inspiring energy-wise.  Seventy-something Jerry Lee slams the keyboard like old times and sings with much of the same strength and ego.  Forget about if Jerry is jammin� with Jimmy Page, Bruce Springsteen or Keith Richards.  The  Killer is always the star!  It�s high paced rock, with mid-tempo and slow country and blues numbers mixed in, along with a touch of Ireland, thanks to a rendition of Van Morrison�s "What Makes the Irish Heart Beat," with help from Don Henley as well as Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains.  Best collaborations include: "Before the Night is Over," with B.B. King; "Twilight," with Robbie Robertson; "That Kind of Fool," with Keith Richards; "Trouble in Mind," with Eric Clapton; "Hadachol Boogie," with Buddy Guy; and the lead off track, a version of Led Zeppelin�s "Rock and Roll," with Jimmy Page.  At the end of the song Jerry Lee asks �You remember me, don�t you?�  With Last Man Standing we�ll remember all over again, Jerry.
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