🎸 Vinyl Spotlight: Johnny Jenkins – Ton-Ton Macoute! (1970)
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Some records don’t chart — they haunt. One of the most fascinating buried treasures in Southern soul and blues-rock history, Johnny Jenkins’ 1970 release Ton-Ton Macoute! is a cult classic that belongs in the collection of every serious vinyl collector.
At once swampy, soulful, and psychedelic, this album stands as a ghostly snapshot of what might have been — and what absolutely was.
🎙️ A Lost Soul Gem with Legendary Roots
Originally intended to be Otis Redding’s next solo project, Ton-Ton Macoute! was left unfinished after Redding's tragic death in 1967. Rather than let the sessions fade away, Atco Records handed the reins to Johnny Jenkins, a lesser-known but hugely talented soul guitarist and vocalist from Macon, Georgia.
That twist of fate birthed a one-of-a-kind record — soulful, raw, and dripping with Southern atmosphere.
🎸 Featuring Duane Allman Before He Was a Legend
Before he lit up the world with The Allman Brothers Band, Duane Allman laid down scorching slide guitar on this record. You can hear his fingerprints all over the grooves, from the soulful phrasing on “Down Along the Cove” to the swampy swagger of “Walk on Guilded Splinters.”
This isn’t just a Johnny Jenkins record — it’s a pre-Allman Brothers Southern rock time capsule.
🎧 What It Sounds Like
Imagine the grit of Muscle Shoals, the voodoo of Dr. John, and the soul of Otis Redding, all tangled up in a smoky, analog haze. The album flows between bluesy stompers and spaced-out grooves, making it equally at home on a dusty turntable or a late-night DJ set.
🔥 Essential Tracks:
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“I Walk on Guilded Splinters” – A slow-burning, mystical Dr. John cover that’s been sampled and reinterpreted for decades.
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“Leaving Trunk” – Pure blues muscle, later made famous by Taj Mahal.
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“Down Along the Cove” – A soulful, horn-backed reinterpretation of Bob Dylan's track.
💿 Why Vinyl Collectors Love It
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Rare original 1970 pressings on Atco are highly collectible.
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The Rhino reissue is an affordable way to own a piece of blues-rock history.
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A favourite among DJs, crate-diggers, and collectors of Southern soul and psych.
Whether you’re building a serious blues collection or just want something different that grooves hard and deep, Ton-Ton Macoute! deserves a place in your crate.
🛒 Own It Now at Vinyl Legend
Find your copy here.
🎧 Drop the needle and discover why this forgotten gem refuses to fade away.
💬 Tell Us…
Have you spun Ton-Ton Macoute! before? Which track hits you hardest? Share your thoughts in the comments or tag us on Instagram at @vinyl_legend_za with your setup!