Monday, November 2, 2020

Monday Blues Spotlight - Muddy Waters

 
April 4, 1913 - April 30, 1983

In this edition of Monday Blues, Set List honors Muddy Waters.

"Father of modern Chicago blues"

Genres considered - Blues, Chicago Blues, Delta Blues

Genres influenced by Muddy Waters - Rock and Roll, Rock

Point of interest -
"...When I went into the clubs, the first thing I wanted was an amplifier.  Couldn't nobody hear you with an acoustic..." (Wikipedia)

In 1950, Waters recorded his signature song, "Rollin' Stone."

In the mid-1950s, several singles by Muddy Waters landed positions in Billboard's Rhythm & Blues charts - "Sugar Sweet" (1955), "Trouble No More" 1956,  "Forty Days and Forty Nights" (1956), "Don't Go No Farther" (1956).  One of Waters' best known songs was recorded in 1956 - "Got My Mojo Working."

In 1958, Waters and pianist, Otis Spann, toured England.  They began in Leeds with their Chicago style.  Comical point of interest - "I was definitely too loud for them.  The next morning we were in the headlines of the paper, 'Screaming Guitar and Howling Piano'."  (Wikipedia)

Bands inspired by Muddy Waters - The Rolling Stones (after "Rollin' Stone"), Cream (especially Eric Clapton), AC/DC (especially Angus Young), and Fleetwood Mac

Songs inspired by Muddy Waters -
- Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" was based on "You Need Love"
- "Hoochie Coochie Man" was covered by several artists, including Steppenwolf and Supertramp
- "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC was inspired by lyrics from Waters' "You Shook Me"

Honors and Awards -

6 Grammy Awards

"Rollin' Stone" (1950) ... "Hoochie Coochie Man" (1954) ... "Mannish Boy" (1955) ... "Got My Mojo Working" (1957) - Listed among the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

5 Blues Foundation Awards

Inductions -

Blues Foundation Hall of Fame (1980)

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1987)

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1992)

Discography13 studio albums

The background behind Muddy Waters is detailed and would be exhaustive to write here so in conclusion, read more on Wikipedia.

"It's going to be years and years before most people realize how greatly he contributed to American music." - B.B. King

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