Well other than Rocketman Tex, I don't know how many blues fans we have here. However, I figured there has to be some more so I'll throw this question out: who was the greatest blues artist - Muddy Waters or The Howlin' Wolf? I listened to Muddy's Anthology (runs from 1947 to 1972) which is a double CD and there were so many classics that you lose count with "Mannish Boy", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Got My Mojo Working", "I'm Ready", "She Moves Me", "Honey Bee", "Rollin' Stone", "She's Nineteen Years Old", etc. I think Muddy's band with Little Walter on harp along with Otis Spann on piano and Jimmy Rogers on guitar was the best blues band for that time. However, I still think that the Wolf is slightly better. He didn't have the band that Muddy had although Hubert Sumlin on guitar was a monster, but I just love his songs a little better because of his voice, especially "Evil", "Spoonful", "Sitting on Top of the World", "The Little Red Rooster", and "Smokestack Lightning". So, who do you think was the better blues artist - McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters' real name) or Chester Burnett (the Howlin' Wolf's real name)? RMTex - I expect a pretty good answer from you
I gotta go Muddy, just a preference, obvisouly most of his bands were better than The Wolf's but I also prefer his voice and he swung a bit more IMO. But I bet Muddy would say Howlin' Wolf
at the end of the day i think i'd go with muddy. tough call, though.... howlin's london sessions album is great stuff.
I love the Blues.... ... and... damn, that's a tough choice. They're both so very good. I slightly lean toward Muddy. Probably because he played my favorite blues song "I feel like going home". But I liked Muddy better in his earlier days, when his style was more of a "sittin' on the back porch" style of blues, not a "I've got a big band playing for big concerts" style of blues (if that makes any sense). Wow... That's like asking "what's better - prime rib, or filet mignon?"
I don't care who was better, I prefer Howlin' Wolf (and I do not to use "The" before his name). Big Foot Chester, I love his early Sun Records stuff and his later Chess recordings.
Neither choice would be wrong. I pick Chester Burnett. He was scheduled to play Antone's in Austin soon after he died. In the film-documentary -Smokestack Lightnin' he was described a good - progressive employer - paid health benefits to band members-a good man. I heard Clifford Antone hired Howling Wolf's bass player for the house band after Chester Burnet died-also purchased a bass for him. I also heard Clifford Antone paid for McKinley Morganfield's funeral- all first class. Both of these artists are very special-love them both Thank you to this board for introducing me to "Smokestack Lightnin'"
While Muddy might be "better", I find myself listening to the Wolf quite a bit more often. I always get just a bit more energy from Wolf, a bit more of a raw feeling that I love in my blues. Muddy certainly had a more polished band behind him but he doesn't impact me in quite the same way.
To me, this is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" kind of question. It's purely subjective. Personally, I can't choose between the two. I love them both. As far as the Wolf is concerned, I always loved his voice and the way he could change it on a dime. I loved Wolf's attitude. The man never let anything stand in his way...he was ravaged by kidney problems late in life, and at his last gig in 1975 he blew BB King and Albert King (among others) off the stage, there were paramedics waiting to revive him offstage, and he died two months later. I am also a HUGE fan of Hubert Sumlin's guitar playing. Hubert is a most underrated blues guitarist. He still gigs occasionally (he's in his late 70s)....go see him if you get the chance. As far as Muddy is concerned, I always loved his slide playing, song interpretation and onstage persona (yes I was lucky enough to see him play live before he passed...I saw him open for Eric Clapton at the Summit in 1978 and he blew Clapton off the stage...this was during Clapton's alcoholic phase around the time of "Slowhand"). The other thing I love about Muddy is how many great blues players he introduced to the world via his band (James Cotton, Otis Spann, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolin.....the list is unbelievable). Better? Neither was better than the other. They were both great, and I love them both, for different reasons. Now...let's talk about who was the greatest Houston bluesman ever....Lightnin' Hopkins, Johnny "Clyde" Copeland, or Albert Collins? Or how about the greatest Louisiana Swamp Bluesman ever....Slim Harpo or Lazy Lester? And no...I can't decide among them either. Hell, I love them all!
Hubert Sumlin's upcoming gigs...from his website: July 14 Hondarribia Blues Festival Basque Country Hondarribia Spain July 18 National Guitar Workshop Judson College Elgin, IL July 24 NYC Rockin' The River Cruise Pier 83 @ West 42nd Street New York,NY July 28 Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival Toyota Park Bridgeview, IL September 15 Hot Licks Blues Fest Downtown Granville Granville, OH January 13-20 (2008) The Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise The Caribbean Click Here for More Info.: Cruise Like I said...go see him play live while you still can!!!
Thanks for posting that, RMTex. It's amazing that Hubert is still playing and still going strong after all these years.
Muddy always had the best band -- they were the best of their respective instruments from that era, and basically laid the template for electric blues. Just like every sound rock and roll song should start with a "Johnny B Goode" riff, every 12-bar cops Spann and Little Walter licks. That said, I like Howlin's songs better, and Hubert's sound better. Just a personal preference. EDIT: I should have just quoted Manny's original post and added a "+"
my opinion: Muddy revolutionized the blues with the electric guitar and had the voice. Howlin' Wolf took that revolution to another level in the late sixties. I still say Muddy though.
