When the Water Gets Muddy, It's Time for Some Blues

It's been a long, cold week. Dear lord, I am in need of some serious blues. Serious blues.

McKinley Morganfield died April 30, 1983 at approximately 70 years of age. His date of birth has long been in question but his impact on the American blues scene has not. He has been ranked as one of the top 100 musicians of all time, and influenced virtually every American and British rock or blues group from the 60's. Zeppelin, Cream, Hendrix, the Stones.. Hendrix is quoted as saying about him "I first heard him as a little boy and it scared me to death." The Rolling Stones got their name from one of his songs.

The king of Chicago Blues, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Hell, they even issued a postage stamp in his honor.

Still can't place the name? How about what his friends called him: Muddy Waters.

Let's just taste a few of his best tunes. They are bound to warm you from the inside out.

Mr. Muddy Waters

"Hoochie Coochie Man"
"Got My Mojo Working"
"Baby Please Don't Go"
"They Call Me Muddy Waters"

ah yes.
I know I'm feeling much, much better.

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It Was 50 Years Ago Today: The Rolling Stones

Influences.

Every band, singer, writer and musician has them. What makes an average musician a great one, is taking those influences and creating a sound of your own.

On July 12, 1962, the Rolling Stones made their first club appearance in London at the Marquee Club. That night, their entire set did not include one original song. It was all covers of songs by singers who were an influence on their later style.

While it would have been easy on this 50th anniversary to highlight some Stones music, I thought it would be more fun to feature some of the music which was covered in that first set list. These links are to the artists who originally wrote/sang them. These are the musicians whose music first cried out to Mick and Keith...this is where it started.

It always comes back to the blues...

"Back in the USA" Chuck Berry
"Blues Before Sunrise" Elmore James
"Bad Boy" Eddy Taylor
"Hush Hush" Jimmy Reed
"Ride "em On Down" Eddy Taylor
"Bright Lights, Big City" Jimmy Reed
"Don't Stay Out All Night" Billy Boy Arnold
"Tell Me That You Love Me" Jimmy Reed
"Happy Home" Elmore James

...and that's how you do it, son.

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