Entries Tagged as 'Classic Rock'

Muddy Waters: Fathers and Sons

It was around this time 42 years ago that Muddy Waters started working on his double vinyl release Fathers and Sons… And since today would’ve been Muddy’s 96th birthday, I want to briefly commemorate not only the album, but the man they called “Father of The Chicago Blues” on this special day.

By the time Muddy Waters’ Fathers and Sons was released in the summer of 1969, Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, Woodstock took place and I was still entranced with Elizabeth Montgomery’s role as Samantha in Bewitched… On a sadder note, that was the year I lost my grandfather and almost lost my father when he had a heart attack.

Whenever I drift back to those days, I realize just how remarkable those times really were. But because I was so young, it took a while to fully comprehend its meaning and effect on me. I would later discover that through heartache came new found inspiration. The events and music of the time influenced my interest in writing. And it was albums such as Fathers and Sons that helped generate a personal soundtrack to my past…

 
icon for podpress  Standard Podcast [1:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Muddy Waters

was born McKinley Morganfield on April 4th, 1915 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Following the death of his mother in 1918, he would move to Clarksdale Mississippi where he was raised by his grandmother. Waters was a farmer’s son and got his name because he fished and often played in a muddy creek.

Waters singing was influenced by local bluesman Son House and he would learn to play guitar by studying Robert Johnson records. Muddy was the leading promoter of Chicago blues in the fifties. He brought the blues from the Delta making the transition to electric with sounds previously unheard of.

When Muddy moved to Chicago in 1943 he got work in a paper mill. It was during this time he started playing electric guitar and began performing. In 1946 Waters signed with Aristocrat Records. His original Aristocrat recordings did not make much of an impression in the beginning… But Muddy continued to play at the clubs continuously while driving a truck six days a week.

When the Chess Brothers changed Aristocrat to Chess Records in 1948, Waters’ first single on the new label “Rollin’ Stone,” became a major blues hit. Other tunes like “I Can’t Be Satisfied” and “I Feel Like Going Home” from that year would secure his position as a major blues performer. These recordings featured Muddy on electric guitar, writer/producer Willie Dixon on bass, and occasionally Little Walter on harmonica. By the early fifties he was backed by a complete band adding Otis Spann on piano, Jimmie Rodgers on second guitar, and Elgin Evans on drums.

The Tunes Kept Rollin in the Fifties…

“Honey Bee”
“She Moves Me”
“I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man”
“I Just Wanna Make Love to You”
“I’m Ready”
“Got My Mojo Working”
“Mannish Boy”

The above are shining examples of blues classics that would go to be recorded by many popular rock groups… The Rolling Stones even name themselves after his first single.

Waters also introduced new blues artists as they made their way through his band. Many of these included: Junior Wells, Jimmie Rodgers, James Cotton, and Buddy Guy. He would also be instrumental in the early careers of Howlin' Wolf and Chuck Berry.

As successful as Muddy Waters was during the fifties, his record sales were for the most part limited to the Mississippi Delta, the New Orleans area and of course Chicago. However, by this time his reputation was internationally known and in the sixties his music began reaching rock listeners. He often appeared at concerts and festivals nationally.

With producer/guitarist Johnny Winter and utilizing members of his bands of the fifties, Waters made three of his best-selling albums, Hard Again, I'm Ready, and King Bee. Winter and Waters performed together regularly in the 70’s and 80’s.

Muddy last public performance was in June 1982 with Eric Clapton. He passed away in 1983 of a heart attack. And in 1987 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Fathers and Sons

is a fine example of students paying tribute to their hero and father figure of the Chicago blues... Listening to the recording after all these years is like a time machine to the past. It's a vivid memory that brought me back to that electric blues sound and atmosphere I remember so well while growing up.

Whether your rediscovering your past, or just learning about the blues, I strongly suggest checking this album out. It’s an incredible piece of blues history from experienced artists old and new at the time... You'll be richer for the experience.

If you have any thoughts or birthday wishes, please feel free to add your comments below.

The Blues Blogger

Father and Sons Session Musicians:

Muddy Waters - Vocals and Guitar
Otis Spann - Piano
Mike Bloomfield - Guitar
Paul Butterfield - Harmonica
Donald "Duck" Dunn - Bass
Sam Lay - Drums

With Guests:

Phil Upchurch - Bass on "All Aboard" only
Jeff Carp - Chromatic Harmonica on "All Aboard" only
Paul Asbell - Rhythm Guitar on "Walking Thru The Park", "Forty Days & Forty Nights" and "Sugar Sweet" only
Buddy Miles - Drums on "Got My Mojo Working, Part Two" only

Johnny Winter: Self Titled Album (1969)

Happy 67th Birthday to music legend Johnny Winter. An incredible artist whose music continues to inspire us. Here’s one of my favorite articles originally featured two years ago with updated tour info… Make sure you add your comments at the end of the post!

Flashback Summer 1969

I recall it well… I was helping The Big F, my brother’s friend/roadie, bring in the gear from last night’s gig… My brother was in his glory admiring his latest acquisition; a red 1964 Gibson SG standard. Then the boys, as they usually did on Saturday afternoons, started to rehearse. This time they were inspired by some tunes they heard on the latest Johnny Winter album…

I hung out for a while and then decided to go to the store for some soda. So I took my bike and starting making my way down the sidewalk… I remember thinking how cool it was that I could still hear them playing Mean Mistreater halfway down the block… I got distracted by my next door neighbor, who said something I didn’t quite hear as I cycled by. I glanced back momentarily to acknowledge her, and then as I turned around, I cycled right into a tree. If that didn’t suck, I fell off my bike and broke my arm.

My neighbor ran to my house and after ringing the doorbell several times, she managed to finally get The Big F’s attention. I still remember that crazed look of concern on his face as he ran down the street telling people to get out of his way. Without hesitation, he picked me up like I was a football. And proceeded to run into the house and let everyone know what happened… Off I went to the hospital. Yes, I guess I ended the rehearsal prematurely that day… Oh well, life is hard sometimes. No wonder I love the blues so much.

Present Time

Today over 40 years later, I reflect about this while recovering from my ridiculous dirt bike incident over a week ago… Reminiscing, I went downstairs into my home office/gym and found Johnny’s 1969 release… I started a mild walk on the treadmill, did some stretching and listened once again as I got swept away in one of my many reflective moments.

Johnny Winter

was born in February 23 1944. Playing clarinet at the age of 5, Winter made his first television appearance at 10 years old playing ukulele and singing on a local children’s show with his brother Edgar.

He first recorded with his band Johnny and the Jammers when he was 15 and released the single School Day Blues, which became a local hit. Winter was further inspired at the time by the live performances of classic blues artists like Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Bobby Bland.

After a string of ventures throughout the sixties, Winter released his first album on Sonobeat Records called The Progressive Blues Experiment in 1968. On 1969′s self titled LP, Johnny Winter found himself backed by blues stars such Willie Dixon and “Big” Walter Horton on harp. As well as bass player Tommy Shannon, who would later get recognized as backing Stevie Ray Vaughan in Double Trouble.

The accomplishments and inspiration Johnny Winter has garnered is enormous. His life long dream of playing with Muddy Waters became reality in 1977 when he produced Muddy’s album Hard Again. The following year, he continued that success with Muddy’s I’m Ready, and then one final time in 1980 on King Bee. Together Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter’s partnership produced a number of Grammy Awards.

Winter performed at Woodstock, was on the cover of the first issue of Guitar World in 1980, and in 1988 was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. And if that ain’t cool enough, he even jammed with Jimi Hendrix.

“Like Bloomfield’s band and the Blues Project, Johnny Winter pulled blues classics, like ‘Mean Mistreater’ and ‘When You Got A Good Friend,’ back into the mainstream of rock music and forced rock guitarists once again to pay attention to their musical heritage and draw from it.” ~Gene Santoro

Listening to this album again sort of gave me the shivers. It certainly will go down as the soundtrack to some of my broken bones…. All kidding aside, I love this record. There are some albums that act like a time machine, and this one took me way back. It contains some of the most genuine and memorable blues that I recall then and now.

Johnny Winter On Tour

Here is a brief itinerary of his latest schedule. Times and dates are subject to change, so make sure you double check the Johnny Winter website for updated info:

FEBRUARY 2011

02/24/11 Regina, SK Casino Regina Show Lounge
02/25/11 Edmonton, AB Polish Hall
02/26/11 Calgary, AB Bowness Hall

MARCH 2011

03/04/11 New Haven, CT Toad’s Place
03/05/11 Pawtucket, RI The Met
03/10/11 Stanhope, NJ Stanhope House
03/24/11 Lincolinshire, IL Viper Alley
03/25/11 Flint, MI The Whiting
03/26/11 South Bend, IN Club Fever
03/28/11 Billings, MT Bones Brewing
03/29/11 Missoula, MT Wilma Theatre
03/30/11 Denver, CO Oriental Theater

APRIL 2011

04/01/11 Agoura Hills, CA Canyon Club
04/02/11 San Juan Capistrano, CA The Coach House
04/03/11 Redondo Beach, CA Brixton
04/04/11 Exeter, CA Orange Blossom Junction
04/07/11 Honolulu, HI Pipeline Cafe
04/08/11 Kahului, HI Maui Arts & Cultural Center
04/09/11 Honokaa, HI Honoka’s People’s Theatre
04/10/11 Lihue, HI Kauai Community College
04/13/11 Tokyo, Japan Zepp Tokyo
04/14/11 Tokyo, Japan Zepp Tokyo
04/15/11 Tokyo, Japan Zepp Tokyo

MAY 2011

05/04/11 Berlin, Germany Columbiaclub
05/05/11 Hamburg, Germany Fabrik Hamburg
05/06/11 Isernhagen, Germany Blues Garage
Appearing at “Rhythm & Blues Night”
05/07/11 Groningen, Netherlands De Oosterpoort
05/08/11 Saarbrucken, Germany Garage
05/09/11 Pratteln, Switzerland Z7
05/10/11 Herisau, Switzerland Casino
05/11/11 Ravensburg, Germany Oberschwabenhalle
05/13/11 Linz, Austria Posthof
05/14/11 Imst, Austria Glenthof
05/16/11 Vienna, Austria Porgy & Bess
05/17/11 Graz, Austria Orpheum
05/18/11 Ulm, Germany Ulmer Zelt
05/20/11 Worpswede, Germany Music Hall
05/21/11 Osnabruck, Germany Rosenhof
05/22/11 Wuppertal, Germany Die Boerse
05/23/11 Aschaffenburg, Germany Colos-Saal
05/27/11 Regensburg, Germany Zelt Festival
05/28/11 Freising, Germany Liutpoldhalle

OCTOBER 2011

Tue 10/11/11 Trail, BC Charles Bailey Theatre
Wed 10/12/11 Cranbrook, BC Key City Theatre
Thu 10/13/11 Red Deer, AB Red Deer Memorial Centre
Fri 10/14/11 Edmonton, AB Polish Hall
Sat 10/15/11 Calgary, AB Bowness Hall
Sun 10/16/11 Fort MacLeod, AB Empress Theatre
Mon 10/17/11 Lloydminster, AB Vic Juba Community Theatre
Wed 10/19/11 Saskatoon, SK Louis’
Thu 10/20/11 Brandon, MB Western Manitoba Centennial Aud.
Fri 10/21/11 Winnipeg, MB Pyramid Cabaret
Sat 10/22/11 Winnipeg, MB Pyramid Cabaret
Fri 11/04/11 Heerlen, Netherlands Parkstad Limburg Theaters

NOVEMBER 2011

Sat 11/05/11 Rosmalen, Netherlands Partycentrum De Kentering
Mon 11/07/11 Brest, France Salle Vauban
Tue 11/08/11 Caen, France Le Cargo
Wed 11/09/11 Compiegne, France Ziquodrome
Thu 11/10/11 Bourg En Gresse, France La Tannerie
Fri 11/11/11 La Ravoir, France Espace Jean Blanc
Sun 11/13/11 Seignosse, France Salle Des Bourdaines
Tue 11/15/11 Prague, Czech Republic Lucerna Music Bar
Wed 11/16/11 Stara Role, Czech Republic Lidovy Dum
Fri 11/18/11 Nuremberg, Germany Loewensaal
Sat 11/19/11 Winterbach, Germany Salierhalle

DECEMBER 2011

Thursday 12/01/11 – Monday 12/05/11
Miami, FL Royal Caribbean Cruise Line – “Liberty Of The Seas”

Thu 12/15/11 Stanhope, NJ Stanhope House
Fri 12/16/11 New Hope, PA New Hope Winery
Sun 12/18/11 New Britain, CT Trinity on Main
Fri 12/30/11 Fall River, MA Narrows Center For The Arts
Tue 01/03/12 New York, NY B.B. King Blues Club
Sat 01/07/12 Annapolis, MD Rams Head On Stage
Sun 01/08/12 Annapolis, MD Rams Head On Stage
Tue 01/10/12 New York, NY B.B. King Blues Club
Fri 01/13/12 Norfolk, CT Infinity Hall
Sat 01/14/12 Albany, NY Empire State Plaza Conv. Ctr.
Fri 01/20/12 New Haven, CT Toad’s Place
Sat 01/21/12 Plymouth, NH The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center
Tue 01/24/12 New York, NY B.B. King Blues Club

During the Course of This Blog

I’ve featured some albums that were released in 1969. Johnny Winter’s self titled release came out almost 40 years ago to the date that I am writing this. If you’re unfamiliar I strongly suggest getting a copy of this. Sony Legacy re-issued this recording with five extra bonus tracks 5 years ago. It’s a great album for any fan old or new who wants a good dose of the blues from a true music legend. Just try not to hurt yourself when you listen. ;)

This post represents only a small portion of Winter’s work. It’s impossible to cover the rich history and his contribution to the music world in just one blog post. Perhaps you can add your comments and help fill in some of the many gaps… Is there any Johnny Winter moments that comes to mind for you? Will you be checking out any of the shows listed above?

The Blues Blogger

Gary Moore: Remembering a Blues Rock Guitar Legend

February 6, 2011

As my 15 year old son and I settled in to watch the Super Bowl last week, we were surrounded by an assortment of munchies on the table in front of us. Unfortunately I was feeling a little down, and my son was rather fretful about my demeanor. This was the Super Bowl and there was no reason to be bummed…

I told my son that earlier in the day I heard the news about the death of Gary Moore. He was one of my favorite guitar players and that was the reason I felt rather cheerless. “Dad you need to write something. It might make you feel better,” he replied. I knew he was right, but what would I say that could do proper justice to a player that so many others had long admired? Wincing with awe makes for difficult adjectives at times.

It took a week, but I soon realized I was never going to get the right words that would articulate my appreciation for Gary Moore. He will forever stand out as one of those musicians that had a unique blend of versatility, tone and technique. And he did it with immense emotion. I decided not to over-think things and just do my best to weave together a brief tribute to a man who provided so many years of listening pleasure.

The Super Bowl

was well underway now and Green Bay was looking strong. I caught a side glimpse of my son, and I thought to myself that I was approximately his current age when I first came across Gary Moore’s music.

Then I started to drift off into one of my reflective moments from the past…

Spring/Summer 1976

This was a memorable year for me. I was going to high school and I also worked at a record store on the weekends. I would also discover new aspects of life like driving a car, different styles of music, making new friends, I got more involved with recording gear, and of course there were girls.

One of the things I also enjoyed was vinyl album art. Those covers act like time capsules; capable of taking you back to memories of yesteryear. It was this fascination that introduced me to an LP called Strange New Flesh by Colosseum II. My initial introduction to Gary Moore was on this record. And it was some of those new fusion, progressive rock and jazz sounds that became a new source for memories that would eventually act as a link to my mid to late teenage years.

I would buy LP’s like Strange New Flesh, and when I got home, crank the volume on my stereo in my room; playing songs like “Darker Side of the Moog.” And in doing so, drive my father absolutely crazy!

(Now, if you had to pick a few songs that take you back to some of your mid-teenage years, do you know what they’d be?)

For me I can clearly name two and they were both released in 1976. One is “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” by Elvin Bishop and the other would be “The Boys are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy. These are two staples from a time that metaphorically provides the bridge I crossed leading me to paths beyond teenage innocence.

Gary Moore With Thin Lizzy 1978

Gary Moore Dublin 2008

Gary Moore

Born in Belfast Ireland on April 4th, 1952, he started playing music at the age of 8, and developed his style right handed despite being a lefty. He was influenced by the likes of Elvis Presley and The Beatles, and then later by musicians like Jimi Hendrix and John Mayall, which opened him up to the art of the blues.

Aspiring to become a musician, Moore moved to Dublin at 16 and joined Skid Row, along with Phil Lynott. In 1973 Moore would once again unite with Lynott but this time in the band Thin Lizzy.

Moore became the protégé of blues pioneer Peter Green, who he admired since the days of the Blues Breakers. He even obtained some of his guitars when Green quit the music scene. Many of Moore’s albums features Green’s famous sounding 1959 Gibson Les Paul, and attributed to his identifiable sound and voicing. It was Peter Green that helped mold the career of the young Moore, and his deep appreciation of Green can be heard on his album, “Blues for Greeny.”

He sustained a career that received the respect of all the major players, including the likes of blues man B.B. King and many others who Moore graced the stage with.

Gary Moore preferred to better his technique and expose his true self rather than enjoy commercial success. After a string of rock records, Moore returned to blues music with Still Got the Blues, with contributions from Albert King, Albert Collins and George Harrison. This was his most successful and critically acclaimed album. And is a must buy for any electric blues fan who likes their blues with an extra punch.

He continued his blues recordings until 1997, when he decided to experiment with contemporary dance beats on Dark Days in Paradise. With Back to the Blues, Moore return to his tried and tested blues format in 2001 and continued with this style on Power of the Blues (2004), Old New Ballads Blues (2006), Close As You Get (2007) and his last recording Bad For You Baby (2008).

The Football Game

got more interesting in the second half as we all know. And as I started to get more involved, it took my mind off some of the things that were on my mind. And by the end of the game I was feeling a little better. My son was right when he reminded me that writing, along with positive memories would be good medicine.

Moore’s ability to hold his own amongst such influential company as shown in these videos is a testament to his enormous talent and respectability. He will forever be missed, but his music will live on in the hearts and souls of the people he touched forever.

There are so many musical moments in Gary Moore’s career which are impossible to cover in just one blog post. Perhaps we can continue our thoughts by including them in the comment area below. What are some of your favorite songs performed by Gary Moore? Do you have any stories about Gary you’d like to share?

The Blues Blogger

  • RECEIVE UPDATES BY E-MAIL

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

  • SEND YOUR VOICE COMMENTS TO THE BLUES BLOGGER

  • Disclaimer

    The music seen and heard on this site are meant to enhance the enjoyment of the articles and the reader's overall experience. My intention is to honor the artists that have inspired me by weaving my personal experiences together with my love of their music... If you like the music you hear, I urge you to support them by attending their performances and/or purchasing their music. If you hold the copyright and would like me to remove your song or picture then please contact me. I will do so immediately upon request.
  • Add to Technorati Favorites
  • Sade Music on Jango
  • TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

  • Real Time Web Analytics
  • more Quotes