Eugene Hideaway Bridges Page

Eugene 'Hideaway' Bridges

Eugene 'Hideaway" Bridges is a man of many styles from Texas Blues shuffles, Texas Big Band Blues, Jump Blues, Country/Gospel, Soul Blues and 60s Soul/Sam Cooke worship. Born in 1963. Raised in Texas and Louisiana, while still a small child Bridges performed on stage with his father, guitarist Slim ‘Hideaway’ Bridges. Briefly forsaking the guitar, he joined his brothers to form a gospel group, the Bridges Brothers, and he also sang with the choir of his local church. He continued to perform both sacred and secular music, the latter with his own R&B band, the Five Stars. In his mid-teens Bridges served in the US Air Force and in his late teens, military service now behind him, he sang and played in the New Chosen Singers and then the Mighty Clouds Of Joy. A later group was the Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges Band, with which he toured nationally from his Houston, Texas home base. He also visited Europe as a solo act, playing in France and the UK where he became popular first with the Memphis Blues caravan and later in his own right, becoming highly rated in blues magazine polls in both countries. It was a UK company, Armadillo Records, that saw Bridges’ potential and signed him in 2000. In addition to touring Europe, Bridges also visited Australia and New Zealand where he attracted enthusiastic audiences.

Album Discography

"Born To Be Blue" (Blueside 1998)

1 If You Don't Wanna Love Me 5:05
2 Little Boy Blue 4:05
3 Tears Of A Fool 5:21
4 Born To Be Blue 4:10
5 Learn How To Let You Go 4:42
6 Aching Heart 7:47
7 Good Times (My Only Reason For Working) 4:33
8 Ain't No Reason No More 4:35
9 Dr. Can You Tell Me 4:56
10 Somebody Loves You 4:27
11 Good Thing 5:05
12 A Change Is Gonna Come 3:42

"Man Without A Home" (Armadillo 2002)

1 I Used To Sing Love Songs 4:10
2 You Gonna' Miss Me 3:56
3 Bluesman 3:55
4 Man Without A Country, Man Without A Home 5:48
5 Movin' And A Groovin' 3:29
6 Pay The Rent 4:42
7 I'm Falling In Love 4:31
8 Won't Be Your Fool 4:11
9 Hideaway Slim 2:46
10 Always 4:32
11 I Found It 3:22

"Jump The Joint" (Armadillo 2003)

1 I Got The Blues 3:54
2 Can't Stop Loving You 4:29
3 Silver Slipper 4:44
4 Jump The Joint 3:32
5 She Want To Dance With Me 4:07
6 Living 6:29
7 Won't Cry No More 3:50
8 In Your Arms Again 5:08
9 Take Home Pay 4:42
10 Walk The Back Streets 5:25
11 I Know That You Love Me 2:57

"Coming Home" (Armadillo 2005)

1 I'm Going Back 3:13
2 Giving Up On Love 5:05
3 In Your Arms Tonight 4:55
4 Coming home 4:23
5 I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me 6:05
6 Love Me Right 2:07
7 Railroad Line 3:10
8 How Can I Win 4:50
9 I Need You 4:43
10 You're The One 3:55
11 Real Hero 5:36
12 I Woke Up This morning 4:00

"Eugene Hideaway Bridges" (Armadillo 2007)

1 Piece Of The Mountain 3:29
2 Life Has No Meaning 4:28
3 Special Friend 4:08
4 Never Alone 3:11
5 Baby Your Love 3:57
6 In Your Arms Tonight 4:09
7 Look At Me Now 4:22
8 Ain't Got Time 3:29
9 Love Got The Best Of Me 6:06
10 Big Legged Woman 4:04
11 I Can't Wait 3:43
12 Man And His Guitar 3:30

"Live In San Antonio" (Armadillo 2009)

1 I Got The Blues 4:13
2 Woke Up This Morning 3:45
3 Little Boy Blue 3:47
4 Learn How To Let You Go 4:24
5 Giving Up On Love 6:10
6 Real Hero 4:49
7 Rome Wasn't Built In A Day 2:36
8 Won't Be Your Fool 5:34
9 Movin' And A Groovin' 4:17
10 I Know That You Love Me 6:54
11 I Found It 4:22
12 Bluesman 4:08
13 How Can I Win 4:57
14 You're The One 3:46
15 Jump The Joint 5:10

"Rock And A Hard Place" (Armadillo 2011)

1 I Can Never Forget 3:08
2 Rock And A Hard Place 6:08
3 She's Out Of My Life 3:32
4 Baby I Like 3:12
5 It's Gotta Be The Last Time 4:17
6 How Long 3:22
7 It Will Not Stop 4:04
8 Dance With You 3:56
9 I'm Holding On 3:03
10 45 Jump 3:00
11 It Had To Be You 3:48
12 Long Way From Texas 3:14
13 Won't Let Me Go 3:28
14 Mom And Daddy's Place 3:27
15 BB 4:52

***** New Orleans native Bridges' professional career began in earnest when he briefly joined The Mighty Clouds Of Joy. It was short lived as he moved to Houston and became a police officer before going on the road with Big Joe Turner's Memphis Blues Caravan in the 90s. He then formed his own band and released his first album in 1998 ("Born To Be Blue") and has been recording ever since. "Rock And A Hard Place" contains both rollicking Texas-styled boogie, jump and more importantly horn-backed Memphis Soul Blues goodness like "I Can Never Forget". "It Will Not Stop", "Dance With You" and the Beachy "I'm Holdin' On". This by far has the most Soul content of any of his LPs. Everything he does on this album he nails the landing for tenner (or ***** that is). This album is a joy to listen to. Just don't play it around me 'cuz I'm liable to sing along with every cut! Now I'm none too shabby at singing but Bridges is better. The only detriment if you can call it one is just too many tracks and that takes away from ingesting this as an album whole like some of his like to still do.

Eugene 'Hideaway' Bridges "Roots & Vines" (Armadillo 2013)

1 Glory Glory 3:27
2 Farewell, My Darling 2:49
3 My Baby Loves Me 3:33
4 Good Old Days 3:42
5 Hold On 3:43
6 They Call The Wind Mariah 2:58
7 Rise Above It 4:04
8 I Will Still Be In Love With You 4:43
9 A Thing Called Love 3:08
10 Under My Roof 4:28
11 17 Miles To Go 3:18
12 How Long Will It Take 3:06
13 Nelly Bell 3:43
14 Wayward Wind 4:17
15 Basil's Bar 4:19
16 Don't Call It Supper 4:41
17 School House Blues 6:13

***1/2 Thanks to "Glory Glory" now we can add Gospel to the Eugene 'Hideaway' Bridges menu of Texas Blues shuffles, Jazzy/Big Band, Jump Blues, Country Soul, Soul Blues, 60s Soul/Sam Cooke worship. Take one part Cooke/One Part Freddie King mix with Bridge's smooth, earnest voice and you have "Roots & Vines".

Eugene 'Hideaway' Bridges "Hold Out A Little Bit Longer" (Armadillo 2015)

1 One More Time 4:22
2 Hold On A Little Bit Longer 4:22
3 Special Lady 4:36
4 Love You In Every Way 3:34
5 End Of Time 2:56
6 V8 Ford 4:09
7 Yesteryear Today Tomorrow 3:55
8 I Can't Stand It 2:58
9 Definition Of Me 3:04
10 Lost And Lookin' 4:03
11 Change Your Name 2:14
12 Long Way From San Antone 4:45
13 Along The Navajo Trail 4:01
14 Take Me Back To Perth 3:46
15 Thirst For Air 4:23

**** Bridges is a man of many styles from Texas Blues shuffles, Jazzy/Big Band, Jump Blues, Country Soul, Soul Blues and my favorite- pure 60s Soul/Sam Cooke worship. For some reason he's a recent discovery of mine and it's caused me to have to go back and make changes to several annual Top 10s to include his album from that given year. "Hold On" has 15 tracks of dizzying variety but Bridges is a true renaissance man.

"Live In Tallahassee" (Armadillo 2018)

1 Intro 0:20
2 Step By Step 3:32
3 I Can Never Forget 2:34
4 How Long 4:08
5 When the Blues Overtake You 3:37
6 Mom and Daddy's Place 4:22
7 Good Old Days 3:33
8 Hold On a Little Bit Longer 4:23
9 This Old House 3:57
10 How Long Will It Take 5:41
11 I Can't Wait 4:41
12 She's Out of My Life 3:29
13 Take Home Pay 4:48
14 Sweet Little Angel 8:33
15 Don't Call It Supper 3:28
16 I'm Holding On 3:15
17 I'll Be a King 4:54
18 I Can't Stop Loving You Baby 3:37
19 Rise Above It 6:23