Robert Finley - Goin’ Platinum

The Guardian 80

(Easy Eye/Nonesuch)

A carpenter by trade, 64-year-old Robert Finley lost his sight a few years ago. A spot of busking in the right place at the right time led to this Louisiana bluesman’s debut album, Age Don’t Mean a Thing (2016). Now Finley’s mighty pipes – honed during his time in an army band – have been co-opted by Dan “Black Keys” Auerbach for a lush, teak-panelled Nashville soul record. The storied session players are top-notch – Duane Eddy is on guitar – and Finley’s versatile voice ranges from prime Motown holler – as on Medicine Woman, the album’s lead track – to Holy Wine’s heartbroken falsetto croon.