On my 20th birthday, my Sainted Mother gave me fourth row tickets to see Johnny Winter at Memorial Auditorium in Dallas. It was the excellent "John Dawson Winter III" tour, and I was also mightily impressed with the opening act, blues harpist/vocalist/songwriter James Cotton - a dude who'd actually played with Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf!

All these years later, Cotton remains a stellar purist. His singing voice is mostly gone - Darrell Nulisch is his road vocalist - but his harp skills are intact and he remains a terrific writer as per last year's "Cotton Mouth Man" album.

The CD features guests such as Warren Haynes, Delbert McClinton, and Keb' Mo'. Cotton brings his excellent band to the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center for a performance on Friday. This is beyond legendary.

- RICK KOSTER

James Cotton, 8 p.m. Friday, Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook; $42, $45; 1-877-503-1286.