Muddy Waters

McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913 – April 30, 1983), known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the father of modern Chicago blues.  He was a major inspiration for the British blues explosion in the 1960s, and was ranked No. 17 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In 1940, Muddy moved to Chicago for the first time.  He played with Silas Green a year later, and then returned to Mississippi.  In the early part of the decade he ran a juke joint, complete with gambling, moonshine, and a jukebox; he also performed music there himself.  In the summer of 1941, Alan Lomax went to Stovall, Mississippi, on behalf of the Library of Congress, to record various country blues musicians.  Muddy received two copies of the pressing and a check for twenty dollars.  Lomax came back in July 1942 to record Muddy again.  The complete recordings were re-issued on CD as Muddy Waters: The Complete Plantation Recordings.  The historic 1941-42 Library of Congress field recordings by Chess Records in 1993. Muddy returned to Chicago in 1943, and in 1946, began recording for Aristocrat Records, a newly-formed label run by two brothers, Leonard and Phil Chess.  In 1948, I Can't Be Satisfied and I Feel Like Going Home became big hits and his popularity in clubs began to take off.  Soon after, Aristocrat changed their label name to Chess Records and Muddy's signature tune Rollin' Stone also became a smash hit.

By September 1953, Muddy was recording at Chess Records with one of the most acclaimed blues groups in history: Little Walter on harmonica, Jimmy Rogers on guitar, Elgin Evans on drums and Otis Spann on piano.  The band recorded a series of blues classics during the early 1950s, some with the help of bassist/songwriter Willie Dixon, including Hoochie Coochie Man, I Just Want to Make Love to You, and I'm Ready.  These three were the most macho songs in his repertoire, wrote Robert Palmer in Rolling Stone.  Muddy would never have composed anything so unsubtle.  But they gave him a succession of showstoppers and an image, which were important for a bluesman trying to break out of the grind of local gigs into national prominence. In the early to mid-70's, I saw Muddy and his band, in Toronto, at the Colonial Tavern numerous times.  I had a small recorder and notebook and a desire to learn everything I could from the master.  Muddy would relax in the crowd drinking champagne with a buxom blonde companion and entourage while his band played.  Toward the end of each set, Muddy would join his band on-stage, sitting on a stool, playing slide guitar while singing songs such like Two Trains Runnin' or Honey Bee and electrify the room.

Wanderin' Spirit
February, 2007
"Muddy Waters"

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