From the Annals of the Blues –  In 1982, blues legend Sam (Lightnin’) Hopkins died at the age of 70.  Hopkins was born in Centerville and started playing on a home-made guitar at age 8.  His first  instrument was  a cigar-box guitar with chicken-wire strings. By ten he was playing music with his cousin, Alger (Texas) Alexander, and Blind Lemon Jefferson. By his teens, Hopkins was playing the blues wherever he could find an audience.   His career was interrupted by a prison term at the Houston County Prison Farm in the mid-1930s.  After that, he returned to the blues-club circuit ultimately deciding to live in Houston.  In 1959, Hopkins began working with legendary producer Sam Chambers and for the first time his songs began to reach a mainstream white audience. Hopkins switched to an acoustic guitar and found greater success as a folk-blues artist ultimately playing at distinguished venues such as Carnegie Hall and opening concerts for numerous rock bands. Hopkins recorded at least 85 albums.