After quitting Thin Lizzy in 1982, guitarist Snowy White began his solo career with the following year’s White Flames, an absorbing grab bag of rock, pop, fusion and blues.
His beguiling way with a guitar was apparent in the singing solos of hit single Bird Of Paradise, the success of which brought label pressure to adopt a commercial sound with followup Snowy White.
Despite his discomfort with these demands, White turned in a set of pop-rock gems like Land Of Freedom, replete with seductive guitar hooks and eloquent lead work. While That Certain Thing (1987) heads deeper into mainstream waters, White’s solos still resonate, but bonus-track B-sides like Snow Blues indicate where his heart lay.
Sure enough, Change My Life (1988), credited to Snowy White’s Blues Agency, mixed covers (such as BB King’s The Thrill Is Gone) with self-written songs, all enlivened with White’s tasteful licks and leads.
Open For Business (1989) finds White coming into his own as a blues songwriter (I Can’t Help Myself) and an increasingly inventive soloist (Out Of Order). Highway To The Sun (1994) rounds things off on a high, with guests David Gilmour, Gary Moore and Chris Rea all contributing stellar solos.
