Little Feat Albums Ranked

Little Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles. George disbanded the group due to creative differences shortly before his death in 1979. Surviving members reformed Little Feat in 1987 and the band has remained active to the present. The band’s music is a mixture of rock and roll, blues, country, R&B, and jazz. Guitarist Jimmy Page stated Little Feat was his favorite American band in a 1975 Rolling Stone interview. Lowell George met Bill Payne when George was a member of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention. Payne had auditioned for the Mothers, but had not joined. They formed Little Feat along with former Mothers’ bassist Roy Estrada and drummer Richie Hayward from George’s previous band, The Factory. Hayward had also been a member of the Fraternity of Man whose claim to fame was the inclusion of their “Don’t Bogart That Joint” on the million-selling Easy Rider film soundtrack. The name of the band came from a comment made by Mothers’ drummer Jimmy Carl Black about Lowell’s “little feet”. The spelling of “feat” was an homage to the Beatles. Here are all of Little Feat albums ranked.

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10. Down On The Farm 

“Down on the Farm” was the last album to feature leadsinger, guitarist and songwriter Lowell George. Actually George had left the band before the album was finished, and sadly during a solo tour in 1979 he died from a heart-attack. George had always been the driving force in the band, but due to healthproblems ( drugs/alcohol) his position in the band had diminished after “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now”.”

9. Representing The Mambo 

“Representing The Mambo is an Album that has got better with age. while it may not be as consistent as Let it Roll, it still packs a punch. it is a record I return too quite a lot. The album kicks off with Texas Twister, with some tasteful Guitar work.”

8. Hoy-Hoy! 

“You’re not a true fan until meet these criteria. You own the debut record and at least the follow-up and at least one or two notable subsequent releases. You own a live album (official or boot, boot is better). You own–and wear–a band t-shirt. And you own a compilation album.”

7. Time Loves A Hero 

“Time Loves A Hero proves that The Last Record Album was not Little Feat’s last record album, though the album’s artwork is rather confusing, where I’m sure there’s a backstory that I haven’t discerned after all these years. Beginning in the foreground, the statue is that of San Miguel de Allende, the building behind it is that of the 9th Century church in Italy, Cattolica di Stilo, and the background is that of the city San Miguel De Allende in Mexico … a geographic anomaly at best, with the artwork being uncredited.”

6. Feats Don’t Fail Me Now 

“So much is owed to Little Feat and the sound they created … for all of their success they have remained the underdogs, and cult favorites … as one of the undisputed leaders of the jam band circuit, they have been ignored by all by the most devoted of fans. The Feat are no ‘Johnny Come Latelies’ either, originally formed in 1969, at the hind end of the psychedelic movement, and at the beginning of the country honk, favored by Ry Cooder, Gram Parsons, along with harmonies that would be developed by fledgling Eagles.”

5. Little Feat 

“That great, unknown American rock band. This was the nation’s answer to the limey Rolling Stones. In fact, listen to their first four albums and you’ll hear that Little Feat could have become as great as the Stones, maybe even better, had they kept the fire in their belly past Feats Don’t Fail Me Now. It’s all here, that wonderful sound the Stones had perfected between around 1968 to 1973, that sound of Americana-rock built on fat bluesy back beats and sly syncopation, sensuous slide guitar and rollicking piano, those offbeat lyrics, the wry attitude. To my ears, in fact, sometimes they sound as if they already were our very own Stones.”

4. The Last Record Album 

“When I think of bands that epitomize 1970s studio rock, I immediately think of two bands: Steely Dan and Little Feat. Both bands began as somewhat odd rock band incarnations (the Dan even had Chevy Chase on keyboards in the very beginning; the Feat have roots with Frank Zappa) and then evolved in fascinating ways over a few short years.:

3. Sailin’ Shoes 

“Little Feat follow up their great debut album with a little more polish, and it works. It works because while they smooth out some edges, they don’t mess with the soulful heart of their music. The usual cast of characters born from the odd mind of Lowell George are again present in the lyrics. So are the big rigs, all night benders, cheap motels, and other seedy images that flow in and out of the music like cigarette smoke through venetian blind sunbeams.”

2. Waiting For Columbus 

“Waiting for Columbus is a towering live recording. It’s sound and song arrangements are beyond what Little Feat was ever able to do in the studio. George and Barrere’s guitars sing and wail. Billy Payne’s piano work is crisp, yet playful. The rhythm section anchored by Ritchie Hayward, Sam Clayton and Kenny Gradney anchors the group with creative percussion and meaningful bass lines. The Tower of Power horn section is brought in to add excitement.”

1. Dixie Chicken 

“By the time Dixie Chicken splintered my sunlight, Little Feat were deep into their charming smokin’ boogie variation of swamp rock, with an album on which Lowell George gives probably his best performance. The release comes across sounding effortless and tight, full and warm, with George infusing nearly each song with his wry sense of humor.”