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SHEMEKIA COPELANDBlame It on EveAlligator Records
Copeland was raised in the tough, urban streets of Harlem. DaugShemekia hter of bluesman Johnny Clyde Copeland, she first sang with him on stage at age eight and went with him on the road at age 16. No wonder her songs are filled with the wisdom of one who’s been there, done that, and knows how to handle herself. “Tough Mother” from this latest release, pretty much tells it like it is: she was born into the blues and continues to tell us about it. Her songwriters for this album have been able to reach into her inner soul and allow her to express those feelings precisely.
Songwriters John Hanh and Will Kimbrough co-wrote much of the material for this release, and they’ve given Copeland the ammunition to let it all out. Current events, social ills, broken relationships, and serious history make up much of what she sings about. The images rush before you like morning dreams just before you wake up.
Once again, she features one of her dad’s songs on this latest release, and she makes the lyrics dig deep into your heart. “Down on Bended Knee” stands out as one of the album’s high points and serves as a true-blue homage. From pure old-school blues to social commentary and echoes of what makes the world go ‘round, Shemekia Copeland covers it all. -- Jim Santella
Songwriters John Hanh and Will Kimbrough co-wrote much of the material for this release, and they’ve given Copeland the ammunition to let it all out. Current events, social ills, broken relationships, and serious history make up much of what she sings about. The images rush before you like morning dreams just before you wake up.
Once again, she features one of her dad’s songs on this latest release, and she makes the lyrics dig deep into your heart. “Down on Bended Knee” stands out as one of the album’s high points and serves as a true-blue homage. From pure old-school blues to social commentary and echoes of what makes the world go ‘round, Shemekia Copeland covers it all. -- Jim Santella
- BLIND LEMON PLEDGE
- Oh So Good
- Ofeh Records
- Roots music brings history back to our lives comfortably. Singing both original songs and cover songs while playing acoustic instruments, this duo does it right. What’s more, their vocals are enunciated clearly despite the rhythmic forces being let loose. Playing acoustic guitar, upright bass, foot drum, mandolin, and a few extras, both artists sing the blues with spirit. The lyriccome alive and the tempo keeps rollin’.
- From Iowa, Tom Spielbauer and April Dirks, who have been working together for nine years, capture the middle American essence of roots music. Their original songs could have easily been mistaken for timeless Mississippi Delta, Carolina Piedmont or early Chicago blues. For cover songs, the duo also interprets songs that come from Muddy Waters, Son House, Jessie Mae Hemphill and Gus Cannon.
- Their title track, an original, “Homesick Blues” turns loose the emotion that we remember from the earliest blues artists. Spielbauer and Dirks could be standing on a street corner with a guitar case full of dollar bills, and the music sure would verify that scene. But instead, they’ve had a successful career playing live concerts around towns big and small, delivering a heaping helping of soulful blues.
- --Jim Santella
GERALD MCCLENDONDown at the Juke JointDelta Roots Records
Soul, R&B, and heartfelt vocals allow Gerald McClendon to reach a wide audience and to convince them that the world isn’t all that bad. Sad? Sure, his blues melodies touch upon that side clearly. But there’s optimism in his work. His message with this latest album is simply that one needs to slow down, enjoy life, and let the good times flow. His idea of a juke joint remains rooted in the slow dancing that continues late into the wee hours and allows patrons to absorb the romantic ambience.
With his title track, McClendon describes the smokin’ barbeque out back, the pulled pork, and the delicious side orders; but he does this during a slow dance, hanging around as if the food can surely wait a while. The memories are more important, and McClendon drives his message home with authority. As with previous albums, Twist Turner has given McClendon the kind of songs that keep things mellow. Just put the CD on, turn down the lights, and let it all drift.
“You Make Me Happy” changes up somewhat with an upbeat rhythm, horns, and a joyful R&B mixture of late-night, foot-tappin’ fun. The rest of McClendon’s session keeps his Chicago “Soul Keeper” epithet firmly in hand. He inspires as only a late-night session at the juke joint could do in the wee, small hours of the morning. --Jim Santella
With his title track, McClendon describes the smokin’ barbeque out back, the pulled pork, and the delicious side orders; but he does this during a slow dance, hanging around as if the food can surely wait a while. The memories are more important, and McClendon drives his message home with authority. As with previous albums, Twist Turner has given McClendon the kind of songs that keep things mellow. Just put the CD on, turn down the lights, and let it all drift.
“You Make Me Happy” changes up somewhat with an upbeat rhythm, horns, and a joyful R&B mixture of late-night, foot-tappin’ fun. The rest of McClendon’s session keeps his Chicago “Soul Keeper” epithet firmly in hand. He inspires as only a late-night session at the juke joint could do in the wee, small hours of the morning. --Jim Santella
SONNY GULLAGEGo Be FreeBlind Pig Records
It was inevitable that Sonny Gullage would grow up to write music, sing and play the piano. His talent first showed when he was in kindergarten, writing out rhythms and playing them from the written sheet. Most children do show promise of things to come, and his father, bassist Tony Gullage, recognized it. After all, Sonny is from New Orleans where his father has made a career playing with some of the best that the Crescent City has to offer.
Sonny Gullage is 25 and has released his debut album as proof that the early hints of his prowess were, indeed, quite accurate. The music is upbeat with the kind of positive vibe that comes from the influence of gospel choir performance. Then, there’s the obvious New Orleans rhythmic thread that aligns itself with Gullage’s songs; he co-wrote most of them and his voice rules each one. Smooth and sensual, he makes each selection appeal through lyrics, melody, and rhythmic emphasis.
“Blues All Over You” stands out for its dedication to the genre’s history. Gullage and his band give it an easy lope that lets them stroll comfortably. “File It Under Blues” takes on a different approach, as Gullage drives hard with intense thoughts of how sadness can affect one’s outlook.
Negative or positive, the music gives Sonny Gullage the opportunity to express what he feels, and it’s all worthwhile. The album shows that his talents are as solid as those kindergarten thoughts promised, and great days surely lie ahead. Gullage’s strongest asset is his superb ability to make the lyrics convincing. And that’s what the blues is all about.
--Jim Santella
JOE BONAMASSALive At The HollywoodBowl - With OrchestraJ&R Adventures
In 2003, writing a cover story on Joe Bonamassa for Southland Blues Magazine, Joe told me that he really enjoyed Jethro Tull’s work, however, when he had the opportunity to meet them and asked to jam, he was told, “Oh, we don’t jam or improvise, we play every song in a certain way just like an orchestra.” Well, Joe has done Tull one better by performing his music live with conductor David Campbell’s 40-piece orchestra backing him on the Hollywood Bowl band shell on 8/9/23.
Fronting the orchestra is Joe’s band with him on lead vocals and guitar. Josh Smith also plays guitar with Reese Wynans on keys, Calvin Turner on bass and Lemar Carter on drums. Jade MacRae and Dannielle Deandrea provide lovely and at times soaring background vocals. This CD/DVD package is filmed in a way that emphasizes Joe’s craft on his instrument and also isolates appropriately timed views of the other musicians. It has you feeling as if you are sitting on the stage of The Bowl watching and listening wide-eyed.
There are 11 songs, “The Ballad of John Henry” and “The Last Matador of Bayonne” by Joe along with four others cowritten with Joe. “If Heartaches Were Nickels” is by Warren Haynes, “Ball Peen Hammer” is Chris Whitely’s and three are by other cowriters.
Joe’s guitar and amp collection is world famous and each one used at this concert is both pristine in looks and sound. It’s like a chef showing off his savory medley of foods to the audience. I’m betting that Joe is younger than the age of each guitar!
It’s spectacular to see how both Joe and Conductor David Campbell are in total synch with each tune. Watching Joe pull off his guitar leads while the orchestra backs him with precision must have taken a great deal of time in both writing the music and practicing for this concert. 89 nine minutes of perfection.
Although a CD is included along with 17-page booklet, it is certainly enjoyable to view the DVD often for the full experience of Joe’s talent. Options to obtain Live At The Hollywood Bowl include CD/DVD, CD/Blu-ray, Vinyl and streaming. I highly recommend the Blu-ray with its clarity.
Joe is currently on tour and can be seen locally at The Terrace Theater in Long Beach this November 3rd. --Pete Sardon
Fronting the orchestra is Joe’s band with him on lead vocals and guitar. Josh Smith also plays guitar with Reese Wynans on keys, Calvin Turner on bass and Lemar Carter on drums. Jade MacRae and Dannielle Deandrea provide lovely and at times soaring background vocals. This CD/DVD package is filmed in a way that emphasizes Joe’s craft on his instrument and also isolates appropriately timed views of the other musicians. It has you feeling as if you are sitting on the stage of The Bowl watching and listening wide-eyed.
There are 11 songs, “The Ballad of John Henry” and “The Last Matador of Bayonne” by Joe along with four others cowritten with Joe. “If Heartaches Were Nickels” is by Warren Haynes, “Ball Peen Hammer” is Chris Whitely’s and three are by other cowriters.
Joe’s guitar and amp collection is world famous and each one used at this concert is both pristine in looks and sound. It’s like a chef showing off his savory medley of foods to the audience. I’m betting that Joe is younger than the age of each guitar!
It’s spectacular to see how both Joe and Conductor David Campbell are in total synch with each tune. Watching Joe pull off his guitar leads while the orchestra backs him with precision must have taken a great deal of time in both writing the music and practicing for this concert. 89 nine minutes of perfection.
Although a CD is included along with 17-page booklet, it is certainly enjoyable to view the DVD often for the full experience of Joe’s talent. Options to obtain Live At The Hollywood Bowl include CD/DVD, CD/Blu-ray, Vinyl and streaming. I highly recommend the Blu-ray with its clarity.
Joe is currently on tour and can be seen locally at The Terrace Theater in Long Beach this November 3rd. --Pete Sardon
TAB BENOITI Hear ThunderWhiskey Bayou Records
Thirteen years is a long time, however, this gestation period for Tab Benoit’s newest studio album, I Hear Thunder, was worth the wait. Having won four Blues Music Awards between 2007 and 2013 while being inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of fame in 2010, he has earned his musical reputation. Wielding a desirable 1972 Fender Thinline Telecaster guitar with a resonant light swamp ash hollow body and wide range humbuckers, his tonal palette is enviable. In a prior cover story for Southland Blues Magazine, Tab told me that this is his preferred instrument as, being a former drummer, it allows him to use those talents in his playing with this guitar.
Hurricane Katrina was tough on many musicians. Fortunately, Tab was spared in his higher ground location but Gatemouth Brown lost his home and his beloved instruments to the flooding and died 12 days later of cancer and a broken heart. Tab sings “The Ghost of Gatemouth Brown” as a fitting tribute to this talented musician.
Tab provides the vocals and guitar and cowrote the ten songs with Anders Osborne, who also provides guitar. Tab’s band includes Corey Duplechin on bass and Terence Higgins on drums. George Porter Jr. from The Meters plays bass on two songs as well.
Loveliest song is “Still Gray” in which Tab’s soft Louisiana inflection caresses this soulful tune while adding guitar parts that will make you stand still and just listen when you first hear it.
Close your eyes and capture Tab’s love of the Wetlands as he describes, “Drifting along with the tide, not even trying to hide; me and my old friends—watching the gators roll in.” His “old friends” include the crickets and bull frogs as they are all part of Louisiana’s musicianship. Who better could pen a tune called, “Watching the Gators Roll In?” Tab’s guitar/drum sounds help create that atmosphere he loves so much.
At Tab’s Whiskey Bayou Recording Studio in his hometown, he was able to record, produce, mix and master I Hear Thunder. It is a rare musician who has total control of their work. Tab has earned it. Please get your copy and tell your friends that the 13-year wait for Tab’s studio release is over! --Pete Sardon
Thirteen years is a long time, however, this gestation period for Tab Benoit’s newest studio album, I Hear Thunder, was worth the wait. Having won four Blues Music Awards between 2007 and 2013 while being inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of fame in 2010, he has earned his musical reputation. Wielding a desirable 1972 Fender Thinline Telecaster guitar with a resonant light swamp ash hollow body and wide range humbuckers, his tonal palette is enviable. In a prior cover story for Southland Blues Magazine, Tab told me that this is his preferred instrument as, being a former drummer, it allows him to use those talents in his playing with this guitar.
Hurricane Katrina was tough on many musicians. Fortunately, Tab was spared in his higher ground location but Gatemouth Brown lost his home and his beloved instruments to the flooding and died 12 days later of cancer and a broken heart. Tab sings “The Ghost of Gatemouth Brown” as a fitting tribute to this talented musician.
Tab provides the vocals and guitar and cowrote the ten songs with Anders Osborne, who also provides guitar. Tab’s band includes Corey Duplechin on bass and Terence Higgins on drums. George Porter Jr. from The Meters plays bass on two songs as well.
Loveliest song is “Still Gray” in which Tab’s soft Louisiana inflection caresses this soulful tune while adding guitar parts that will make you stand still and just listen when you first hear it.
Close your eyes and capture Tab’s love of the Wetlands as he describes, “Drifting along with the tide, not even trying to hide; me and my old friends—watching the gators roll in.” His “old friends” include the crickets and bull frogs as they are all part of Louisiana’s musicianship. Who better could pen a tune called, “Watching the Gators Roll In?” Tab’s guitar/drum sounds help create that atmosphere he loves so much.
At Tab’s Whiskey Bayou Recording Studio in his hometown, he was able to record, produce, mix and master I Hear Thunder. It is a rare musician who has total control of their work. Tab has earned it. Please get your copy and tell your friends that the 13-year wait for Tab’s studio release is over! --Pete Sardon
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DUKE ROBILLARDRoll With MeStony Plain
In ’71 I helped a friend deliver phone books for some extra cash. We encountered a home that had a pristine 1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II in their garage. I had the same pleasurable feeling when I received Duke Robillard’s newest CD, Roll With Me, with nine of the 12 tracks recorded over twenty years ago. What finds!
Duke’s core band of Marty Ballou on bass, Matt McCabe on piano and Mark Teixeira on drums provide the foundation while an assemblage of horn players adds their mettle to the tracks. Sugar Ray Norcia’s harp is well noted along with Chris Cote’s vocals on Muddy Waters’ “Look What You Done.”
Duke was coming off of winning back-to-back Blues Music Awards in 2000 and 2001 and again in 2003 and 2004 for Best Blues Guitarist as he geared up to record the original nine cuts for Roll With Me. Playing in Roomful of Blues, the Fabulous Thunderbirds and recording with Dylan’s Time Out of Mind and subsequent tour adds more to his exponential credibility as a guitarist.
There is a tightness to each song as the vocals, backbeat and horns are carefully woven around his elite guitar phrasing. There is definitely an appealing swing to Duke’s music and each track has its own unique sound making you want to relisten to the entire CD over and over again. Duke has a singular voice that draws you into his lyrics and Ballou, McCabe and Teixeira play with such synergy that makes you appreciate their cohesion.
You’ll agree with Duke’s assessment of “Just Kiss Me” as he considers it one of his best Blues compositions as the addition of five horns uplift this song to perfection.
“Give Me Back My Boogie” is one of Duke’s three newer tunes and he slows down the pace with his soulful vocals, punctuating horns and deft Blues guitar phrases that ride out for six and a half minutes.
Stony Plain’s Roll With Me is being released on CD and vinyl on August 30, 2024 and you can obtain your copy from dukerobillard.com. If you’re planning a party, most likely you’ll find your guests dancing to the swing of Duke’s music. --Pete Sardon
Duke’s core band of Marty Ballou on bass, Matt McCabe on piano and Mark Teixeira on drums provide the foundation while an assemblage of horn players adds their mettle to the tracks. Sugar Ray Norcia’s harp is well noted along with Chris Cote’s vocals on Muddy Waters’ “Look What You Done.”
Duke was coming off of winning back-to-back Blues Music Awards in 2000 and 2001 and again in 2003 and 2004 for Best Blues Guitarist as he geared up to record the original nine cuts for Roll With Me. Playing in Roomful of Blues, the Fabulous Thunderbirds and recording with Dylan’s Time Out of Mind and subsequent tour adds more to his exponential credibility as a guitarist.
There is a tightness to each song as the vocals, backbeat and horns are carefully woven around his elite guitar phrasing. There is definitely an appealing swing to Duke’s music and each track has its own unique sound making you want to relisten to the entire CD over and over again. Duke has a singular voice that draws you into his lyrics and Ballou, McCabe and Teixeira play with such synergy that makes you appreciate their cohesion.
You’ll agree with Duke’s assessment of “Just Kiss Me” as he considers it one of his best Blues compositions as the addition of five horns uplift this song to perfection.
“Give Me Back My Boogie” is one of Duke’s three newer tunes and he slows down the pace with his soulful vocals, punctuating horns and deft Blues guitar phrases that ride out for six and a half minutes.
Stony Plain’s Roll With Me is being released on CD and vinyl on August 30, 2024 and you can obtain your copy from dukerobillard.com. If you’re planning a party, most likely you’ll find your guests dancing to the swing of Duke’s music. --Pete Sardon
Blues Classics Revisited
Pete Sardon shares his classic Blues records.
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LUTHER ALLISONLove Me MamaDelmark
I’ve been buying Blues music since 1969 and wanted to share some of the best of my collection with our readers in hopes that they will also seek out these recordings for their CD libraries.
Love Me Mama, Luther Allison’s first LP on Delmark, was released in 1969. The original LP had ten tracks, however, there is a CD version with four additional tracks available on Amazon.com.
A fiery 30-year-old Luther Allison is on vocals and lead guitar with backup by Robert “Big Mojo” Elem on bass, Jim Conley on tenor sax on two original and two added tracks, Jimmy “Fast Fingers” Dawkins adding his guitar on six cuts and drumming was either by Bob Richey or Bobby Davis.
Luther opens up with “Why I Love The Blues,” one of the two original cuts on the CD. His articulate and unique vocals are enhanced by his guitar fills that both anticipate and follow the verses.
His choice of songs presented here are plucked from some of the greatest Blues’ standards such as B.B. King’s “Love Me Mama,” the title song, along with his “4:00 In The Morning (Waiting On You), Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster,” which gets two versions as an alternative take is offered on the 13th cut, “Help Me,” a Sonny Boy Williamson classic, “Dust My Broom,” an often recorded Robert Johnson tune, Eddie Boyd’s “Five Long Years,” a tale that personifies frustration and two versions of the Victoria Spivey’s and Lonnie Johnson’s, “You Done Lost Your Good Thing.” With five other songs also on the expanded CD release, the enjoyment of Luther’s first recording is made even more enjoyable.
Playing in bands in Chicago in the ‘50s, Luther met Freddy King who suggested that Luther begin singing. When Freddy got his first record contract, Luther was able to take over Freddy’s slot at a West Side Chicago club. Luther began touring in Europe in the ‘70s and returned to the US in the mid-90’s. He was awarded four W.C. Handy Awards in 1994. I had the pleasure to see him perform in Manhattan’s Manny’s Car Wash Blues Club in 1996. Backed by James Solberg’s band, Luther wielded his all gold Les Paul with both grace and intensity and made the audience wish his set would last for hours.
In a past cover story for Southland Blues Magazine which featured his son, Bernard Allison, Bernard told me that his father taught him, “I don’t care how few people are in the audience, always give them 110% of your playing.”
Luther will be missed; however, he has left some great recordings behind, Love Me Mama would be a lovely addition to your CD collection. --Pete Sardon
Love Me Mama, Luther Allison’s first LP on Delmark, was released in 1969. The original LP had ten tracks, however, there is a CD version with four additional tracks available on Amazon.com.
A fiery 30-year-old Luther Allison is on vocals and lead guitar with backup by Robert “Big Mojo” Elem on bass, Jim Conley on tenor sax on two original and two added tracks, Jimmy “Fast Fingers” Dawkins adding his guitar on six cuts and drumming was either by Bob Richey or Bobby Davis.
Luther opens up with “Why I Love The Blues,” one of the two original cuts on the CD. His articulate and unique vocals are enhanced by his guitar fills that both anticipate and follow the verses.
His choice of songs presented here are plucked from some of the greatest Blues’ standards such as B.B. King’s “Love Me Mama,” the title song, along with his “4:00 In The Morning (Waiting On You), Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster,” which gets two versions as an alternative take is offered on the 13th cut, “Help Me,” a Sonny Boy Williamson classic, “Dust My Broom,” an often recorded Robert Johnson tune, Eddie Boyd’s “Five Long Years,” a tale that personifies frustration and two versions of the Victoria Spivey’s and Lonnie Johnson’s, “You Done Lost Your Good Thing.” With five other songs also on the expanded CD release, the enjoyment of Luther’s first recording is made even more enjoyable.
Playing in bands in Chicago in the ‘50s, Luther met Freddy King who suggested that Luther begin singing. When Freddy got his first record contract, Luther was able to take over Freddy’s slot at a West Side Chicago club. Luther began touring in Europe in the ‘70s and returned to the US in the mid-90’s. He was awarded four W.C. Handy Awards in 1994. I had the pleasure to see him perform in Manhattan’s Manny’s Car Wash Blues Club in 1996. Backed by James Solberg’s band, Luther wielded his all gold Les Paul with both grace and intensity and made the audience wish his set would last for hours.
In a past cover story for Southland Blues Magazine which featured his son, Bernard Allison, Bernard told me that his father taught him, “I don’t care how few people are in the audience, always give them 110% of your playing.”
Luther will be missed; however, he has left some great recordings behind, Love Me Mama would be a lovely addition to your CD collection. --Pete Sardon
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McKinley MorganfieldA.K.A. Muddy WatersChess
I’ve been buying Blues music since 1969 and wanted to share some of the best of my collection with our readers in hopes that they will also seek out these recordings for their CD libraries.
McKinley Morganfield A.K.A. Muddy Waters was a double LP released by Chess Records in 1971. This is an especially desirable CD (available on Amazon.com) as it is a 24-track compilation of Muddy’s recordings in chronological order from 1948 through 1953 starting with “Louisiana Blues” with just Muddy’s guitar, bottleneck and vocals with Little Walter’s harp and Ernest “Big” Crawford’s bass backing. This spare but effective opening was like a pebble being dropped into a musical pond with one of its ripples extending out to Savoy Brown who cut a nine-minute live version of “Louisiana Blues” on their 1968 Blue Matter LP.
20 of the songs were written by Muddy with the following four songs penned by bass player Willie Dixon: “I’m Ready,” “I Just Want to Make Love to You” (covered by the Stones’ on their first album, Rolling Stones, in 1964), “(I’m Your) Hootchie Coochie Man,” and “Same Thing.”
The Chess backing musicians for Muddy from 1948-1953 included Little Walter, Big Walter Horton, Junior Wells and James Cotton on harp, Jimmy Rogers, Pat Hare, Luther Tucker, Buddy Guy and Hubert Sumlin on guitar, Earnest “Big” Crawford, Willie Dixon and Andrew Stephens on bass, Fred Below, Elgin Evans, Willie Nix, Francis Clay, S.P. Leary, and Odie Payne on drums. Leonard Chess received a credit for playing the bass drum on “She Moves Me.” Otis Spann, who Muddy would call his half-brother, although the term was one of affection rather than blood related, is the only pianist on these recordings.
My first Blues concert was seeing Muddy Waters around 1969 with Paul Oscher on harp and Luther Georgia Boy Snake Johnson as a guest guitarist. The guitarists were all playing Guild S 200 Thunderbirds. Immediately after the concert I purchased the LP Luther Georgia Boy Snake Johnson – The Muddy Waters Blues Band on Federal Records. (Mojo Buford was on harp on this LP) It was never issued on CD, however, you can hear the entire album on the internet and I guarantee you that his version of Muddy’s “Long Distance Call” is the best version out there.
“Rollin’ Stone” became inspiration for the Rolling Stones band’s name and “Rolling and Tumbling” appeared on Cream’s 1996 first album, Fresh Cream.
Despite the fact that McKinley Morganfield A.K.A. Muddy Waters was inducted in the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame as a “Classic of Blues Recording” in 1983, the original LP did not sell well as the title often had record stores put it in their racks under McKinley Morganfield rather than Muddy Waters. Hopefully, reading this will encourage our readers to obtain this timeless CD. --Pete Sardon
McKinley Morganfield A.K.A. Muddy Waters was a double LP released by Chess Records in 1971. This is an especially desirable CD (available on Amazon.com) as it is a 24-track compilation of Muddy’s recordings in chronological order from 1948 through 1953 starting with “Louisiana Blues” with just Muddy’s guitar, bottleneck and vocals with Little Walter’s harp and Ernest “Big” Crawford’s bass backing. This spare but effective opening was like a pebble being dropped into a musical pond with one of its ripples extending out to Savoy Brown who cut a nine-minute live version of “Louisiana Blues” on their 1968 Blue Matter LP.
20 of the songs were written by Muddy with the following four songs penned by bass player Willie Dixon: “I’m Ready,” “I Just Want to Make Love to You” (covered by the Stones’ on their first album, Rolling Stones, in 1964), “(I’m Your) Hootchie Coochie Man,” and “Same Thing.”
The Chess backing musicians for Muddy from 1948-1953 included Little Walter, Big Walter Horton, Junior Wells and James Cotton on harp, Jimmy Rogers, Pat Hare, Luther Tucker, Buddy Guy and Hubert Sumlin on guitar, Earnest “Big” Crawford, Willie Dixon and Andrew Stephens on bass, Fred Below, Elgin Evans, Willie Nix, Francis Clay, S.P. Leary, and Odie Payne on drums. Leonard Chess received a credit for playing the bass drum on “She Moves Me.” Otis Spann, who Muddy would call his half-brother, although the term was one of affection rather than blood related, is the only pianist on these recordings.
My first Blues concert was seeing Muddy Waters around 1969 with Paul Oscher on harp and Luther Georgia Boy Snake Johnson as a guest guitarist. The guitarists were all playing Guild S 200 Thunderbirds. Immediately after the concert I purchased the LP Luther Georgia Boy Snake Johnson – The Muddy Waters Blues Band on Federal Records. (Mojo Buford was on harp on this LP) It was never issued on CD, however, you can hear the entire album on the internet and I guarantee you that his version of Muddy’s “Long Distance Call” is the best version out there.
“Rollin’ Stone” became inspiration for the Rolling Stones band’s name and “Rolling and Tumbling” appeared on Cream’s 1996 first album, Fresh Cream.
Despite the fact that McKinley Morganfield A.K.A. Muddy Waters was inducted in the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame as a “Classic of Blues Recording” in 1983, the original LP did not sell well as the title often had record stores put it in their racks under McKinley Morganfield rather than Muddy Waters. Hopefully, reading this will encourage our readers to obtain this timeless CD. --Pete Sardon