Muddy Waters influenced multiple generations of British and American blues giants, there is no denying his place as a key bridge between Mississippi blues and the electrification of the blues opening up a whole new generation influencing everyone from the King’s to today’s stars such as Gary Clark Jr, the Vaughan Brothers, Joe Bonamassa and Eric Clapton.
This video saw Muddy near the end (1981, 2-years prior to his death) but gives you a sense of his influence as the Rolling Stones join him at Buddy Guy’s older club (Checkerboard Lounge at the time).
Amazing footage…
Filed under Blues Legends by on Apr 4th, 2016. Comment. 
It’s hard to imagine any band lasting 50-years largely still intact but it is especially incredible when that band is a rock & roll band and even more fascinating when you consider it is the Rolling Stones!
Though not nearly the vital influence on Rock & Roll they once were, the Stones have managed to continue their legacy respectfully, still managing to stay in the top tier of bands (not relegated to playing festivals, country arenas and fairgrounds as many of the “had their day” rock bands do today).
You can thank leading man Mick Jagger for that as he is singly responsible for navigating the Stones through the last decade (some would argue their entire career) from a creative but mostly business, publicity and marketing point of view.
It is rare to see a passionate and capable creative rock & roll star rooted properly in the blues who also is educated and smart with money, business savvy and has the balls to stand up for what he knows to be right.
What I personally would really like to see from the Rolling Stones put some of their energy toward in the next few years is helping to boost the blues…after all, that’s where they have come from.
It was great to see Mick and the Presidential Gala a few months back helping to give celebration to Black History Month…but there is much more that the Stones can (and should) be doing to help boost the profile of some of the last living blues icons AND ensure the future of the blues so the next generation of rock&roll bands can be steeped in the same deep musical foundations that led to the incredible success of the Rolling Stones.
In any case, happy 50th Birthday to the Stones. Rock on…Mick, Keith, Ron, Charlie
Filed under blues guitar, rock and roll by on Jul 12th, 2012. Comment.
I can still see Hubert’s giant smile as I walked up to him a couple years back here at our Ottawa Blues Festival. He hung out for an entire weekend up here just shooting the breeze with many musicians who idolized him and what he had done for the blues guitar.
Known most for being the ryhthm and then lead guitar player for the great Howlin Wolf in the 1950’s, Hubert is one of the few links to the past of the great electric blues movement – and the little skinny kid always seemed as thankful and unworthy, even when the great Howlin Wolf took him under his wing.
One of the first electric blues guitar players that combined stage presence, charisma and solid mixed rythm and lead guitar, Hubert Sumlin was THE inspiration for many modern artists as varied as the Vaughan Brothers and Eric Clapton to Jimmy Page and the Rolling Stones.
Hubert passed on to join Albert King, Albert Collins, Freddie, Lightning Hopkins and yes, Jimi and Stevie too… man that must be some jam going on up there!
He struggled with health challenges for the last years after taking a stroke that barely seemed to contain him – he still, with the support of those he influenced, was able to tour and share his last years with us.
It could (and should) be argued that the combination of Hubert, Willie Dixon and Howlin Wolf was the baddest, most creative blues band of all time with classics that include “Smokestack Lightning”, and “The Red Rooster” and “Backdoor Man”
You would be hard pressed to see a blues band anywhere that doesn’t know at least one of these classics.
Rolling Stones Step Up To Pay For Hubert’s Funeral
As you may know from reading Hubert’s biographical information, he loved the music (he WAS the music), but had a tough time managing his career and finances…and so found himself just as he had lived most of his life, without a great deal of money. Blues musicians have a tough enough time making ends meet so they can continue to live their dreams, when health issues get in the way it makes things that much tougher.
Today, we get word that the Rolling Stones have stepped up and offered to cover the complete costs of a proper and fitting funeral…now that’s class and paying their dues to one of the early influencers of their music. Good on them…
Sunday and Monday will mark visitation Hubert in Totowa, New Jersey where he had been living with a private funeral to follow on Tuesday in Illinois for
So we continue on, down yet another legendary blues stringer with the sincere hope that others will take up the cause, live for the soul of blues and take over the baton for the next stage of the run…who will it be?
Goodnight Hubert, and god’s speed.
Filed under Blues Legends by on Dec 9th, 2011. Comment.
