As the longtime lead guitarist for one of gospel music's most enduring vocal groups, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Sam Butler's flourishes were noticed by Steely Dan's Donald Fagen and the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards, both of whom Butler wound up working with later. For his first solo CD, 'Raise Your Hands!' (Severn Records), producer Brian Brinkerhoff has chosen to surround Butler's voice and still-stinging guitar with secular tracks by certifiable legends. The kick is that the songs are pulled inside out so deliciously, you won't even recognize them. Plus, they're not the usual picks.
