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Hot Number
Studio album by The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Released	1987
Studio	Ardent Studios, Memphis, Tennessee
Genre	Blues rock
Length	38:34
Label	CBS Associated
Producer	Dave Edmunds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds chronology
Tuff Enuff (1986) Hot Number (1987) Powerful Stuff (1989)
Singles from Hot Number
"Stand Back" Released: 1987 "How Do You Spell Love?" Released: 1987

Hot Number is a studio album by the American blues rock band the Fabulous Thunderbirds, released in 1987. It peaked at No. 49 on the Billboard 200. The band supported the album by touring with Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Production

Recorded in Memphis, Hot Number was produced by Dave Edmunds. The Memphis Horns contributed to the album. Chuck Leavell played keyboards. "It Comes to Me Naturally" is a cover of the NRBQ song.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Los Angeles Times
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings
Richmond Times-Dispatch	B+
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

USA Today opined that "its bluesy orientation unfortunately downplays Jimmy Vaughan's guitar." The Los Angeles Times determined that "the general familiarity of this record ... will probably appeal more to the band's new fans than to the old faithful." The Kingston Whig-Standard wrote that "Kim Wilson doesn't so much sing with the band as it sings behind him; the result is a less spirited and thinner sound." The Toronto Star deemed the album "sweaty, grimy, bar-room rock 'n' soul." The New York Times tied "Streets of Gold" to 1980s heartland rock songs about socioeconomic issues.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Kim Wilson; except where indicated

1. "Stand Back"
2. "Hot Number"
3. "Wasted Tears"
4. "It Comes to Me Naturally" (Al Anderson)
5. "Love in Common"
6. "How Do You Spell Love?" (Bobby Patterson, Jerry Strickland, Marshall Boxley)
7. "Streets of Gold"
8. "Sofa Circuit"
9. "Don't Bother Trying to Steal Her Love"
10. "It Takes a Big Man to Cry"

Personnel

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

• Kim Wilson - vocals, harmonica
• Jimmie Vaughan - guitar, bass, vocals
• Preston Hubbard - electric and acoustic bass
• Fran Christina - drums, vocals

with:

• Dave Edmunds - guitar, vocals
• Chuck Leavell - keyboards
• Memphis Horns - horns

References

1. Brogan, Daniel (3 July 1987). "Fabulous Thunderbirds, Hot Number". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 67.
2. Okamoto, David (12 July 1987). "The Fabulous Thunderbirds: Hot Number". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2F.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2010). Top Pop Albums (7th ed.). Record Research Inc. p. 263.
4. Okamoto, Shari (October 2, 1987). "Fresh off a two-month tour...". Daily Breeze. p. E11.
5. Washburn, Jim (July 3, 1987). "Tuff T-birds – Band ditches its four-piece sound and gives fans a taste of true funk with 'Hot Number'". Orange County Register. p. P44.
6. Tucker, Ken (18 June 1987). "Summer Music". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D1.
7. Gilbert, Calvin (July 17, 1987). "Thunderbirds still doing it their way with Hot". Fun. The Advocate. Baton Rouge. p. 2.
8. Stout, Gene (October 9, 1987). "Fabulous Thunderbirds Are Tough Enough to Make It". What's Happening. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. 8.
9. Mackie, John (11 July 1987). "T-Birds add soul to R&B punch and it's a knockout combination". Vancouver Sun. p. D8.
10. ^ Hochman, Steve (12 July 1987). "Hot Number The Fabulous Thunderbirds". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 93.
11. Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 191. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.
12. Oberg, Mel (July 5, 1987). "Fabulous Thunderbirds Rev Up Engines in Old Style". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. G5.
13. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 236.
14. "Popular". USA Today. 8 July 1987. p. 8D.
15. Burliuk, Greg (1 Aug 1987). "Hot Number The Fabulous Thunderbirds". Magazine. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 1.
16. Quill, Greg (7 Aug 1987). "Hot Number The Fabulous Thunderbirds". Toronto Star. p. E8.
17. Pareles, Jon (30 Aug 1987). "Heartland Rock: Bruce's Children". The New York Times. p. A1.

External links

• Official Site

• The Fabulous Thunderbirds albums
• 1987 albums
• Albums produced by Dave Edmunds