"When David Dot Hale becomes Blind Lemon Peel, the transformation is done without either irony or parody, and it is utter and complete. Watching one of his performances is like a Master class in the development of blues music, and moreover, a study in the parameters that in some ways define and in other ways confine the blues.
At the beginning of the show, he unabashedly appoints himself your tour guide and the rest is up to you. Resist or submit. Blind Lemon Peel points the way clearly and decisively and executes the role with a comic authoritarianism that is modulated by deep musical literacy. He can be as instructive as a law school lecturer or as beseeching as an Evangelical faith healer. A dozen different idioms that all reside comfortably under the umbrella of blues music are presented at a Blind Lemon Peel show.
Performance personas have existed since music’s beginnings, and the character of Peel is rich, profound and musically rewarding. Peel will tear his heart out of his chest and throw it onto the stage in full melodrama, but then undo all of this blues and soul credibility with a comic sequence that belies the dramatic sequence he has just constructed. His humility is so on his sleeve, his band and arrangements are so rock solid, and his vocal presentation so wholly giving that audiences feel as though they are bearing witness to one man’s love story with blues.
BLP is a blues singer, certainly, but moreover, he is a vocalist. The default setting of Blind Lemon Peel’s voice is the rough-and-ready blues barker whose ultimate icon would probably be Howlin’ Wolf. Now add in a hearty splash of Jackie Gleason and imagine what that might be like, and you’re getting close to BLP. Authentic blues legitimacy plus a little “Pow! Right in the kisser!” Peel weaves a set together into a coherent whole that pays mind to tempo, feel, key, lyric and more, and almost turns an hour in a night club into a one-act play. He picks you up, takes you to a lot of different places, and sets you back down with a different outlook, one that may follow you home and even add new colors to the way you look at the blues".
– Chris Elliott
Southland Blues
"Blind Lemon Peel is a completely unique blues amalgam. Add in some funk from James Brown and Johnny Guitar Watson, some country-fied blues from Elvin Bishop, the humor and vocal delivery of Rick Estrin, and, shall we say, the irreverence of Wynonie Harris, and you'll get a fairly good idea of what's going on.
One thing is for sure—it's a stone party from the git-go! You can't deny the danceable grooves with a cool "Saturday Night Fish Fry" stamp on 'em. Blind Lemon Peel keeps things fun, funky, and real. Infectious grooves, good slow-bluesers and a party attitude make this band not to be missed!"
-Nashville Blues Society
"Brother David brings a unique perspective to the blues. More like cosmic, electric Chicago rhythm & blues. The rhythm that is the Blues, the wry sense of humor that’s all his. He’s a performer as much as he is a singer. He is Blind Lemon Peel. Says it all. And it’s totally original stuff he writes, and arranges – and it would have to be from a character, who calls himself Blind Lemon Peel. More often than not he’s outside the typical 1-4-5 blues chord thing for arrangements that say you better pay attention because he's bustin’ out of the box. Whatever that box be.”
– Tim Arnold - Blues Matters