Musician, born in West Point, Mississippi, USA. A blues singer, bandleader, and larger-than-life personality, he was one of the giants of post-World War 2 electric blues whose songs were a staple of rock's early repertoire. He toured extensively (195575), including concert and television appearances with the Rolling Stones in 1965, the year after the release of his only pop hit, Smokestack Lightning. He was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
Chester Arthur "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett|
Howlin' Wolf |
|
| Born: |
June 10, 1910 White Station, Mississippi |
|---|---|
| Died: |
January 10, 1976 Hines, Illinois |
| Occupation: | Singer, songwriter, guitarist and harmonicist |
| Website: | www.howlinwolf.com |
Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910 – January 10, 1976), better known as Howlin' Wolf or sometimes, The Howlin' Wolf, was an influential blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and harmonica player.
Early life
Born in White Station near West Point, Mississippi, he was nicknamed Big Foot and Bull Cow in his early years because of his massive size.
He farmed during the 1930s, served in the United States Army as a radioman in Seattle during World War II, and by 1948 had formed a band which included guitarists Willie Johnson and M.
According to the documentary film The Howlin' Wolf Story, Howlin' Wolf's parents broke up when he was young.
Career
Howlin' Wolf quickly became a local celebrity, and soon began working with a band that included both Willie Johnson and guitarist Pat Hare. His first recordings came in 1951, when he was simultaneously signed to The Bihari Brothers' Modern Records and to Leonard Chess' Chess Records. Chess issued Howlin' Wolf's How Many More Years in August 1951; Wolf also recorded sides for Modern, with Ike Turner, in late 1951 and early 1952. Chess eventually won the war over the singer, and Wolf settled in Chicago, Illinois. In the mid-'50s Wolf released "Evil" and "Smokestack Lightnin'", both major R&B hits.
His 1962 album Howlin' Wolf is one of the most famous and influential blues records, known for its cover illustration of an acoustic guitar leaning against a rocking chair. This album contained "Wang Dang Doodle", "Goin' Down Slow", "Spoonful" and Little Red Rooster, songs which found their way into the repertoires of British and American bands infatuated with Chicago blues. In 1965 he appeared on the television show Shindig along with the Rolling Stones, who had covered "Little Red Rooster" on an early album. He was often backed by bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon who authored such Howlin' Wolf standards as "Spoonful", "I Ain't Superstitious", "Little Red Rooster", "Back Door Man", "Evil", "Wang Dang Doodle" (primarily known as a Koko Taylor hit), and others.
In 1971, Howlin' Wolf and his long-time guitarist Hubert Sumlin travelled to London to record the Howlin' Wolf London Sessions LP. British blues/rock musicians Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ian Stewart, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts played alongside the Wolf on this album. He recorded his last album for Chess, The Back Door Wolf, in 1973.
Unlike many other blues musicians, after he left his impoverished childhood to begin a musical career, Howlin' Wolf was always financially successful. Howlin' Wolf's voice has been compared to "the sound of heavy machinery operating on a gravel road".
Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), Little Walter Jacobs and Muddy Waters are usually regarded as the greatest blues artists who recorded for Chess in Chicago. Sam Phillips once remarked of Chester Arthur Burnett, "When I heard Howlin' Wolf, I said, 'This is for me. This is where the soul of man never dies.' "
Wolf met his future wife, Lily, while playing in a Chicago club one night when she just happened to attend. Nonetheless, immediately attracted when he saw her in the audience as Wolf says he was, he pursued her and won her over.
Chester Burnett "Howlin Wolf" is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Hillside, Cook County, Illinois, USA Plot: Section 18, right by the road.
Covers
Numerous artists have recorded cover versions of Howlin' Wolf songs:
"Little Red Rooster" was covered by Sam Cooke in 1963 and by The Rolling Stones in 1964. Led Zeppelin covered "How Many More Years" (they changed the name of the song to "How Many More Times") on their eponymous debut. They also covered "Killing Floor" in an altered version dubbed "The Lemon Song" on their second album, Led Zeppelin II. The Doors covered "Back Door Man" for their first, self titled album, The Doors The Electric Prunes regularly covered "Smokestack Lightnin'" in their live shows, a recording of which can be found on their Stockholm '67 LP. The Jimi Hendrix Experience covered "Killing Floor" at a BBC Saturday Club radio session in 1967, a recording of which is available on their 1998 BBC Sessions compilation. This song has also been covered by Bob Dylan in the 1992 album Good as I been to you. Howlin' Wolf's own version was a cover of the 1930 classic original by the Mississippi Sheiks. Soundgarden covered "Smokestack Lightning" on their first album Ultramega OK. Stevie Ray Vaughan covered three Howlin' Wolf songs on his studio albums: "Tell Me" appears on Texas Flood; Vaughan also played "Shake for me" (written by W.Dixon) on the live album In the Beginning, even copying the original guitar solo, played by Hubert Sumlin and "I'm Leaving You (Commit a Crime)" can be found from Live-Alive album. He also covered "Howlin' for My Baby" in 1993 on Haircut. Little Red Rooster was covered by British alternative band Jesus and Mary Chain on their Sound of Speed album PJ Harvey covered "Wang Dang Doodle" in her early years and was released on a 2002 b-sides & rarities album Steven Seagal also covered the song " Little Red Rooster" with his band.
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