Lightnin' was born Sam Hopkins in Centerville in 1912. He had two older brothers, but his father died in 1915 when Hopkins was only 3 years old. Sam Hopkins rambled around the churches and beer joints of Leon County with blues legend Blind Lemon Jefferson and his own larger-than-life cousin Texas Alexander. Both men had a lasting impact on young Sam and his music. Hopkins would sit in the shadow of Blind Lemon Jefferson at church socials and play along on his home-made guitar. Jefferson later invited Hopkins to perform concerts with him.