Happy Birthday Muddy Waters! Part 3

It's part 3 of our journey to the roots of Muddy
Waters, so let go back to the days before Chicago.
Muddy had grown up with his grandmother after
his own mother had died. He remained pretty
loyal to her, staying in Mississippi longer than
he should have. Alan Lomax had discovered
Waters in 1941 at the Stovall Plantation, and
recorded a couple of tracks for the Library
Of Congress. Although it was a big money
making opportunity, nothing could stoke the
fire that was lit.
When Muddy moved to Chicago in 1943, it
wasn't an instant success. The audience there
was looking for sophistication, not the rough
Delta sound. It would take years before those
historic sessions with the Chess brothers. In
that time, Muddy worked several jobs- driving
delivery trucks, etc. He made alot of connections
and honed his playing at bars and parties.
As the war ended, the city folk were starting to
get interested in the familiar rural sounds
of their home towns. Sunnyland Slim,
like Muddy had grown up in the Delta, so
they had a good connection. Slim had the
opportunity to record, so he called Muddy in
to join him on "Johnson Machine Gun" and
Fly Right Little Girl". Muddy would then
go on to record "Little Anna Mae" and
Gypsy Woman". His playing was more polished,
with no bottleneck, but he had that thick Delta
accent. It was more sax and piano with
a fairly restrained Waters. Chess wasn't thrilled
and held back releasing them for a while.

It wouldn't be till 1948 when he was asked
back to record for Chess. He came back with
"I Can't Be Satisfied" and "I Feel Like Going Home".

Happy Birthday Muddy Waters! Part 2

Understanding Muddy can be difficult at times.
Like most of the great blues artists, he often
felt he didn't get his due, financially or
professionally. There are 2 books that
have some first-hand interviews with the
great man, among others. "Deep Blues"
by Robert Palmer, and "Feel Like Going
Home" by Peter Guralnick, which was

written some time ago. Guralnick had
gone on a road trip, interviewing Howlin'
Wolf and Jerry Lee Lewis as well. The
portrait that emerges is of a man
that is cautious of the current music
business and at the same token
restless, feeling unfulfilled. The same
could be said of Wolf and Lewis.
They are like wild animals, that were
caught and caged, unsure of what to make
of enforced domesticity. The parts
with Jerry Lee were striking. He

was still married to the infamously

young Myra Gale, and she had

obviously placed restrictions on his

drinking.

Back to Muddy- I think it was Peter Guralnick
that had the opinion that Muddy's music
remained simpler as compared to Robert
Johnson, because unlike Waters, Johnson
had traveled more widely and was for the
most part a one-man band, often playing more
than just the blues. Show tunes, hillbilly music,
anything that would get the money
flowing. Muddy followed a simpler
trail, when he got to Chicago, when he wasn't
working as a delivery man, he was played
parties and bars. Waters also had built a
connection with alot of the artists that
were already there, like Sunnyland Slim
who would be pivotal in getting the Chess
Brothers to hear him.

The Chess Box set is a great collection
if you're not familiar with Muddy.

J.B. Lenoir

J.B. Lenoir- A Unique Voice in Blues

Born in 1929 in Monticello, Mississippi,

March 5th would have been J.B.'s birthday.

Spurred on by a love of Blind Lemon Jefferson,

he moved to Chicago, and hooked up with Big

Bill Broonzy where he met alot of other

blues artists. Lenoir would go on

to record for Chess and other local labels.

Willie Dixon rediscovered Lenoir, and

produced two of his albums,

where Lenoir became quite political.

Although Lenoir might not have made it as

big as Muddy Waters, he could count many

musicians such as John Mayall as a fan.

Unlike most of the gruff, deep-voiced blues

singers, he had a unique high-pitched voice.

Very rock'n'roll. Somehow I could hear

somebody like Johnny Thunders

enjoying his singing style, not to mention

his zebra jackets. J.B. Lenoir had a great

guitar style as well, with occasional support

by one of my favorite keyboard players,

Sunnyland Slim, 2 saxes and really basic

percussion, that backed up his boogie-woogie

guitar. There's definitely a modern sound to Lenoir's

vocals that doesn't date him. With less emphasis

on guitar solos than usual for

a blues song, it makes his singing

sound urbane and the sax along with piano give

the recordings a cosmopolitan city feel.

He passed away at the age of 47, April 29th 19767

after not fully recuperating after a car accident.