Howlin\' Wolf

Howlin' Wolf , (born the June 10th 1910 in West Point in the the Mississippi and dead the January 10th 1976 with Hines in the Illinois) of its true name Chester Arthur Burnett , is a musician of American Blues .

Biography

Initiated with the guitar by Charley Patton at the end of the years 1920 and with the harmonica by Sony Boy Williamson II during the years 1930, it is only in 1945, after a youth passed in the fields of cotton and four years of war under the flags, that Chester Arthur Burnett decides to be devoted to the music.

One of the first guitarists to use an electric guitar, it forms a group with Memphis in 1948 and takes the name of Howlin' Wolf. It records its first titles in 1950-1951, among which How many more years , Dog me around and Crying At daybreak . In 1952, having decided to devote itself only to the song, it leaves for Chicago where it is one of the founders of the Chicago blues.

Starting from this date, it records many titles for the recording company Chess Records, of which Evil , I' m the Wolf , Smokestack lightnin and Sittin' one signal off the world . Willie Dixon, the type-setter and appointed arranger of Chess, also writes several titles to him which will be successes and remain traditional blues: Wang dang doodle , You' L Be undermines .

Its career declines gradually in the end of the year 1950 because of the change of the musical tastes of the black public. It left the semi darkness thanks to the support of the English groups of Rhythm and blues of the beginning of the year 1960, in particular the Rolling Stones which began again inter alia its title Little Red Rooster .

It continues its career until its death, appreciated of the public white and recognized like one of the great figures of the contemporary Blues.

Music

Style

Howlin' Wolf, thanks to its powerful and rocky voice punctuated of sentences of harmonica, created for itself an easily recognizable particular style. It had a major influence on the revival of the Rock-and-roll in the middle of the years 1960.

Its nickname comes to him from the imitation of the cry of the wolves in several of its titles of the beginning of its career such Moanin' At midnight .

Sound extract

Articles

the cry of the wolf: Howlin' Wolf

Discography

Many albums and compilations exist, of quality of various performance and recording. The albums according to are however recommended:

The Chess box , box of 3 CD which cover its career at Chess Records of 1951 with 1973
The Real Folk Blues , (1966) at Chess Records
Howlin' Wolf , (1962) at Chess Records
The Super Super Blues Band , with Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley, is not excellent but brings together these 3 giants of the blues of the time.

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