HOWLIN' WOLF

 CHESTER ARTHUR BURNETT

Another in an ongoing series on blues artists . . . . . . . . . 

I have mentioned before my precocious interest in the blues and at about 13 developing a passion for Leadbelly, Big Bill Broonzy, Josh White and others but Howling' Wolf scared me at first. That HUGE voice from the huge frame was so other worldly and unique I was at once fascinated and nearly fearful! I soon got to appreciate the link and added him and John Lee Hooker and the deltas blues players as well like Missippi John Hurt and Jesse Fuller as my searching took me further in to the more esoteric. Nothing but nothing will replace the feeling that I got when first I heard Howling Wolf sing 'Smokestack Lightning'

ReelinInTheYears66

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This is the only known filmed version of "Smokestack Lightning" by Howlin' Wolf. This was shot in England during the famed American Folk Blues Festival tours and features the legendary Hubert Sumlin on guitar. In addition to other great Howlin' Wolf footage, our archive houses many iconic blues performances from Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, Willie Dixon, Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell, John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton, T-Bone Walker and Buddy Guy.

Meet Me In The Bottom

Some of Howlin' Wolf’s band members came home empty-handed from weeks on the road and told their wives that Wolf didn’t pay them. When Andrew McMahon’s wife, Ida, complained to Wolf about it, he called a meeting with the band members and invited their wives. Then he recited a litany of crimes and misdemeanors. 

“Eddie Shaw, you didn’t bring your money home because you gambled it up. Hubert Sumlin, you gambled and drank your money up. S. P. Leary, you drank yours up. Andrew McMahon, you know you bought the womens with all your money.” 

McMahon tried to convince his wife that Wolf was lying, but she didn’t buy it. 

“Wolf didn’t like that wrongdoing,” she said. “I guess he just didn’t want his name scandalized that he was not paying his boys when he knew he was.”

Wolf was equally blunt with rude audience members. One night on a double bill in Memphis with Muddy Waters, someone in front had the nerve to yell about Wolf’s garish yellow tuxedo, 

“Look at that man in the monkey suit!” 

Wolf glared and said, “I don’t know what you-all talking about. You may think my suit’s funny. Yeah—go ahead and laugh. But you here to listen to me tonight—I’m not here to listen to you. And ’cause of that, I got a pile of money big enough to burn up a wet mule!”

James Segrest, Mark Hoffman. Moanin' at Midnight

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