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| + | #REDIRECT [[Howling Wolf]] |
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| − | {{Infobox musical artist
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| − | | Name = {{PAGENAME}}
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| − | | Img = howlinwolf-portrait.jpg
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| − | | Landscape =
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| − | | Background = solo_singer
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| − | | Birth_name = Chester Arthur Burnett
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| − | | Alias =
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| − | | Born = June 10, 1910<br/>[[White Station, Mississippi|White Station]], [[Mississippi]], [[United States|USA]]
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| − | | Died = {{death date and age|1976|1|10|1910|6|10}}<br/>[[Hines, Illinois|Hines]], [[Illinois]], [[United States|USA]]
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| − | | Instrument = [[Singer|Vocals]]<br/>[[Guitar]]<br/>[[Harmonica]]
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| − | | Genre = [[Blues]]
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| − | | Occupation = [[Musician]]<br/>[[Songwriter]]
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| − | | Years_active = [[1951 in music|1951]] - [[1976 in music|1976]]
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| − | | Label = [[Chess Records|Chess]]
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| − | | Notable_instruments =
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| − | '''Chester Arthur Burnett''' (June 10, 1910 – January 10, 1976), better known as '''Howlin' Wolf''' or sometimes, '''The Howlin' Wolf''', was an influential [[blues]] singer, songwriter, guitarist and [[harmonica]] player.
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| − | == Early life ==
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| − | Born in [[White Station, Mississippi|White Station]] near [[West Point, Mississippi]], he was named after Chester A. Arthur, 21st President of the USA, and was nicknamed '''Big Foot''' and '''Bull Cow''' in his early years because of his massive size. He explained the origin of the name '''Howlin' Wolf''' thus: "I got that from my grandfather [John Jones]. He used to tell me stories about the wolves in that part of the country" and warn him that if he misbehaved, they would "get him." As a youth he listened to [[Charley Patton]], who taught him the rudiments of guitar, as well as to [[the Mississippi Sheiks]], [[Tommy Johnson]] and [[Jimmie Rodgers (country singer)|Jimmie Rodgers]], whose famous "blue yodel" Burnett integrated into his singing style. His harmonica playing was modelled after that of Rice Miller, (also known as [[Sonny Boy Williamson II]]) who had lived with his sister for a time and taught him how to play. He played with [[Robert Johnson (musician)|Robert Johnson]] and [[Willie Brown (musician)|Willie Brown]] in his youth.
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| − | He farmed during the 1930s, served in the [[United States Army]] as a radioman in Seattle during World War II, and by 1948 had formed a band which included guitarists [[Willie Johnson]] and M. T. Murphy, harmonica-player [[Junior Parker]], a pianist named Destruction, and drummer Willie Steele. He began broadcasting on KWEM in [[West Memphis, Arkansas]], alternating between performing and pitching farm equipment, and auditioned for [[Sam Phillips]]' Memphis Recording Service in 1951.
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| − | According to the documentary film ''[[The Howlin' Wolf Story - The Secret History of Rock & Roll|The Howlin' Wolf Story]]'', Howlin' Wolf's parents broke up when he was young. His very religious mother Gertrude threw him out of the house for refusing to work around the farm while still a child; he then moved in with his uncle, Will Young, who treated him badly. When he was 13, he ran away and walked 85 miles barefoot to join his father, where he finally found a happy home within his father's large family. During the peak of his success, he returned from Chicago to his home town to see his mother again, but was driven to tears when she rebuffed him and refused to take any money he offered her, saying it was from his playing the "Devil's music."
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| − | == Career ==
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| − | Howlin' Wolf quickly became a local celebrity, and soon began working with a band that included both Willie Johnson and guitarist [[Pat Hare]]. His first recordings came in [[1951 in music|1951]], when he was simultaneously signed with the [[Bihari brothers]] at [[Modern Records]] and to [[Leonard Chess]]' [[Chess Records]]. Chess issued Howlin' Wolf's ''[[How Many More Years]]'' in August 1951; Wolf also recorded sides for Modern, with [[Ike Turner]], in late 1951 and early [[1952 in music|1952]]. Chess eventually won the war over the singer, and Wolf settled in [[Chicago, Illinois]]. He began playing with guitarist [[Hubert Sumlin]], whose terse, curlicued solos perfectly complemented Burnett's huge voice and surprisingly subtle phrasing. In the mid-'50s Wolf released "[[Evil (blues song)|Evil]]" and "[[Smokestack Lightnin']]," both major R&B hits.
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| − | His [[1962 in music|1962]] album ''[[Howlin' Wolf (album)|Howlin' Wolf]]'' is one of the most famous and influential blues records, known for its cover illustration of an acoustic guitar leaning against a rocking chair. This album contained "[[Wang Dang Doodle]]," "[[Goin' Down Slow]]," "[[Spoonful]]" and ''[[Little Red Rooster]]'', songs which found their way into the repertoires of British and American bands infatuated with [[Chicago blues]]. In 1965 he appeared on the television show ''Shindig'' along with [[the Rolling Stones]], who had covered "Little Red Rooster" on an early album. He was often backed by bassist and songwriter [[Willie Dixon]] who authored such Howlin' Wolf standards as "Spoonful," "[[I Ain't Superstitious]]," "Little Red Rooster," "[[Back Door Man]]," "Evil," "Wang Dang Doodle" (primarily known as a [[Koko Taylor]] hit), and others.
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| − | [[image:howlinwolf.jpg|thumb|right|Howlin' Wolf album cover]]
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| − | In 1971, Howlin' Wolf and his long-time guitarist [[Hubert Sumlin]] travelled to London to record the [[Howlin' Wolf London Sessions]] LP. British blues/rock musicians [[Eric Clapton]], [[Steve Winwood]], [[Ian Stewart (musician)|Ian Stewart]], [[Bill Wyman]] and [[Charlie Watts]] played alongside the Wolf on this album. He recorded his last album for Chess, ''The Back Door Wolf'', in [[1973 in music|1973]].
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| − | Unlike many other blues musicians, after he left his impoverished childhood to begin a musical career, Howlin' Wolf was always financially successful. He described himself as "the onliest one to drive himself up from the Delta" to Chicago, which he did, in his own car on the [[U.S. Route 61|Blues Highway]] and with four thousand dollars in his pocket, a rare distinction for a black bluesman of the time. In his early career, this was the result of his musical popularity and his ability to avoid the pitfalls of [[Alcoholic beverage|alcohol]], [[gambling]], and the various dangers inherent in what are vaguely described as "loose women," to which so many of his peers fell prey.
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| − | Wolf met his future wife, Lillie, while playing in a Chicago club one night when she just happened to attend. She and her family were urban and educated, and not involved to what was generally seen as the unsavory world of blues musicians. Nonetheless, immediately attracted when he saw her in the audience as Wolf says he was, he pursued her and won her over. According to those who knew them, the couple remained deeply in love until his death. They had two daughters, Bettye and Barbara.
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| − | After he married Lillie, who was able to manage his professional finances, Wolf was so financially successful that he was able to offer band members not only a decent salary, but benefits such as [[health insurance]]; this in turn enabled him to hire his pick of the available musicians, and keep his band one of the best around. According to his daughters, he was never financially extravagant, for instance driving a [[Pontiac]] [[station wagon]] rather than a more expensive and flashy car.
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| − | At 6 foot, 6 inches (198cm) and close to 300 pounds (136 kg), he was an imposing presence with one of the loudest and most memorable voices of all the "classic" 1950s blues singers. Howlin' Wolf's voice has been compared to "the sound of heavy machinery operating on a gravel road." Although the two were reportedly not that different in actual personality, this roughedged, slightly fearsome musical style is often contrasted with the more genteel but still powerful presentation of his contemporary, [[Muddy Waters]], to describe the two pillars of the [[Chicago Blues]] representing the two sides of the music.
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| − | Howlin' Wolf, [[Sonny Boy Williamson II|Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller)]], [[Little Walter]] Jacobs and [[Muddy Waters]] are usually regarded as the greatest blues artists who recorded for Chess in Chicago. Sam Phillips once remarked of Chester Arthur Burnett, "When I heard Howlin' Wolf, I said, 'This is for me. This is where the soul of man never dies.' " In 2004, [[Rolling Stone Magazine]] ranked him #51 on their list of the [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939214/the_immortals_the_first_fifty/ 100 Greatest Artists of All Time].<ref>{{cite web| title = The Immortals: The First Fifty| work = Rolling Stone Issue 946| publisher = Rolling Stone| url =http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939214/the_immortals_the_first_fifty}}</ref>
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| − | Chester Burnett "Howlin Wolf" is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Hillside, Cook County, Illinois, USA
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| − | Plot: Section 18, right by the road. His gravestone has an image of a guitar and harmonica etched into it.
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| − | == Covers ==
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| − | Numerous artists have recorded [[cover version]]s of Howlin' Wolf songs:
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| − | * [[Megadeth]] covered "I Ain't Superstituous" on their album [[Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?]]
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| − | * "Little Red Rooster" was covered by [[Sam Cooke]] in 1963, [[The Doors]] (which appears on their live album [[Alive, She Cried]]), and by [[The Rolling Stones]] in 1964.
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| − | * Both [[The Yardbirds]] and [[The Animals]] covered "Smokestack Lightning" in 1964 and 1966 respectively.
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| − | * [[Little Feat]] covered "Forty-Four Blues / How Many More Years" for their first, self titled album, [[Little Feat (album)|Little Feat]]
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| − | * [[Led Zeppelin]] covered "[[Killing Floor]]" in 1968-69 concerts and used the song as the basis for "The Lemon Song" on ''[[Led Zeppelin II]]''. "Smokestack Lightning" and "How Many More Years" served as partial blueprints for "How Many More Times" on their 1969 [[Led Zeppelin (album)|debut album]].
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| − | * [[The Doors]] covered "Back Door Man" for their first, self titled album, ''[[The Doors (album)|The Doors]]''
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| − | * [[The Electric Prunes]] regularly covered "Smokestack Lightnin'" in their live shows, a recording of which can be found on their ''Stockholm '67'' LP.
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| − | * [[Jimi Hendrix|The Jimi Hendrix Experience]] covered "[[Killing Floor]]" at a [[BBC]] ''Saturday Club'' radio session in 1967, a recording of which is available on their 1998 ''[[BBC Sessions (Jimi Hendrix)|BBC Sessions]]'' compilation, and opened with it at the Monterey Pop Festival (also in 1967).
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| − | * [[Cream (band)|Cream]] also covered one of his songs on their double-album ''[[Wheels of Fire]]''. They also covered his song, "Spoonful." On the first (studio) disc, Cream covered "Sitting on Top of the World." This song has also been covered by [[Bob Dylan]] in the 1992 album ''Good as I been to you''. Howlin' Wolf's own version was a cover of the 1930 classic original by the [[Mississippi Sheiks]].
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| − | * [[Soundgarden]] covered "Smokestack Lightning" on their first album ''[[Ultramega OK]]''.
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| − | * [[Clutch]] covers "Who's Been Talking" on their 2005 release ''Robot Hive/Exodus''.
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| − | * [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]] covered three Howlin' Wolf songs on his studio albums: "Tell Me" appears on ''Texas Flood''; "You'll be mine" (written by Willie Dixon) on ''Soul to Soul'' and "Love Me Darlin'" on ''In Step''. Vaughan also played "Shake for me" (written by W.Dixon) on the live album ''In the Beginning'', even copying the original guitar solo, played by Hubert Sumlin and "I'm Leaving You (Commit a Crime)" can be found from ''Live-Alive'' album.
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| − | * [[George Thorogood]] covered "Highway 49" and "Smokestack Lightning" on ''Born to be Bad'' in 1988. He also covered "Howlin' for My Baby" in 1993 on ''Haircut''.
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| − | * On ''[[Crossroads Guitar Festival|The Crossroads Guitar Festival]]'' [[DVD]], "[[Killing Floor]]" was performed by [[Hubert Sumlin]], [[Eric Clapton]], [[Robert Cray]] and [[Jimmie Vaughan]]. It is quite possible that the guitar riff from the song was written by Sumlin.
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| − | * "Little Red Rooster" was covered by British alternative band [[The Jesus and Mary Chain]] on their Sound of Speed album
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| − | *[[PJ Harvey]] covered "Wang Dang Doodle" in her early years and was released on a 2002 b-sides & rarities album
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| − | *[[Steven Seagal]] also covered the song " Little Red Rooster" with his band.
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| − | * [[Tom Waits]] has covered "Who's Been Talking?" several times during live performances.
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| − | *[[Iron & Wine]] released a live cover of "Smokestack Lightning" on a compilation CD entitled ''Hope Isn't a Word'' that came with issue 15 of the magazine ''Comes With a Smile''.
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| − | *[[Monster Magnet]] performed their own rendition of "Evil" on their 1993 album, [[Superjudge]]
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| − | *"Smokestack Lighting" was a staple of early [[Grateful Dead]] shows during the Pigpen era, and was revived by the band (with [[Bob Weir]] on vocals) during the 1990's. The Dead also performed "Little Red Rooster," "Wang Dang Doodle," "I Ain't Superstitious" and "Meet Me In The Bottom" at various points in their career.
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| − | *[[Cactus (band)]] recorded their version of the song "Evil" on their 1971 album ''Restrictions.'' It also appeared on their best-of album entitled ''Cactology.''
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| − | ==Music samples==
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| − | {{multi-listen start}}
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| − | {{multi-listen item|filename=HowlinWolf_MoaninAtMidnight.ogg|title=Moanin' At Midnight|description=Recorded at [[Memphis Recording Service]], 14 May 1951 with [[Willie Johnson]] (guitar) and [[Willie Steele]] (drums).|format=[[Ogg]]}}
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| − | {{multi-listen item|filename=HowlinWolf_BackDoorMan.ogg|title=Back Door Man|description=Recorded in [[Chicago]], June 1960 with [[Hubert Sumlin]], [[Freddy King]] (guitar), [[Otis Spann]] (piano), [[Willie Dixon]] (bass) and [[Fred Below]]This is not Muddy Waters!! (drums).|format=[[Ogg]]}}
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| − | {{multi-listen end}}
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| − | == References ==
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| − | * Segrest, James and Mark Hoffman. ''Moanin' at Midnight''. New York: Random House, Inc. 2004 - ISBN 0-375-42246-3
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| − | * ''[[The Howlin' Wolf Story - The Secret History of Rock & Roll]]'', ASIN: B0000DJZ81 (2003)
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| − | ==Trivia and Tributes==
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| − | * The Howlin' Wolf Memorial Blues Festival is held each year in West Point, Mississippi.
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| − | * French singer/song writer [[Francis Cabrel]] refers to Howlin' Wolf in the song "Cent Ans de Plus" on the 1999 album "Hors-Saison." Cabrel cites the artist as one of a number of blues influences, including [[Charley Patton]], [[Son House]], [[Blind Lemon]], [[Robert Johnson (musician)]], [[Blind Blake]], [[Willie Dixon]] and [[Ma Rainey]].
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| − | * An unusual tribute to Howlin' Wolf was given in ''[[Marvel Comics Presents]]'' #65 in 1990, in a story written by [[Peter Gillis]]; in it, the superhero [[Starfox]] finds Howlin' Wolf alive and playing on an alien planet. Starfox then reveals that he had scooped Wolf off of his deathbed, healed him using alien technology, and given him the ability to transform into a literal [[werewolf]].[http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix2/howlinwolfsf.htm]
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| − | == External links ==
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| − | * [http://www.wpnet.org/Howlin_Wolf.htm Howlin' Wolf Memorial Blues Festival]
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| − | * [http://www.howlinwolf.com/ HowlinWolf.com fan site]
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| − | * [http://www.howlinwolf.com/articles/bio_1.htm Bio @ HowlinWolf.com]
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| − | * [http://www.furious.com/perfect/wolf/index.html The (unofficial) Howlin' Wolf Web Site]
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| − | * [http://www.howlingwolfphotos.com Iconic and rare portraits of Howlin' Wolf, from 1968 and 1969]
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| − | * [http://www.bluejeansplace.com/Page7.html Howlin' Wolf Gravesite]
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| − | * [http://www.blues.org/halloffame/inductees.php4?YearId=25 1980 Blues Foundation Hall of Fame induction]
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| − | {{Blues}}
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| − | [[Category:history and biography]]
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| − | {{Credit|133305441}}
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