“Sherman, set the WABAC Machine for April 4, 1913; the place: Jug’s Corner, Issequena County, MS. We’re going to visit the birthplace of McKinley Morganfield aka Muddy Waters, ‘the father of Chicago blues’.”
The date and place of Muddy’s birth would become, well, muddied later on, when he started saying he came from Rolling Fork (the closest place on a map because the train stopped there) and that he was born in 1915 (for the same reason most people fib about their age). But, there’s no doubt that Muddy’s father was an entertainer who didn’t stick around long, and his mother died when he was 3, sending him to be raised by his grandmother on Stovall Plantation, near Clarksburg, MS. It was she who gave him the nickname Muddy Water, for his penchant for playing in puddles. The ‘s’ was added by mistake on the label of his first hit record in 1948.
Muddy started playing the harmonica at age 7 and took up the guitar at 17, being inspired by watching Son House. Muddy picked cotton, trapped for fur, threw fish fries where he performed and made a little money, and then “got hip” and started making and selling moonshine to his guests. In 1941, Library of Congress folklore collector Alan Lomax visited Stovall Plantation looking for blues singers “in the style of Robert Johnson” to record for the archives. Muddy recorded 3 tracks and when he received a copy of the record and heard himself play he knew he could make a living of it. Other local musicians had gone to Chicago and cut records and had even invited him along. After recording again for Lomax in 1942, the following year Muddy left for Chicago.
Big Bill Broonzy and Sonny Boy Williamson were established bluesmen and took Muddy under their wing, letting him warm up the crowds at the south side clubs where they had gigs. The clubs were so raucous that Muddy got himself an electric guitar and amplifier just so he could be heard. In 1947, Muddy’s career took off when he started recording for Leonard Chess, who was looking for blues players to record on his Aristocrat (later Chess) label. Muddy and his band began recording a string of electrified “urban” blues hits: “I Can’t Be Satisfied” “I Feel Like Going Home” “Rollin’ Stone” “Hootchie Cootchie Man” “Mannish Boy (I’m a Man)” “I Just Wanna Make Love to You” “I’m Ready” and others.
Waters’ slashing style Chicago blues ruled the 50s and influenced the entire generation of blues rockers in Britain and the US in the 60s and beyond. Jimi Hendrix recalled that "the first guitar player I was aware of was Muddy Waters. I first heard him as a little boy and it scared me to death." Muddy toured the UK in 1958, giving those future rockers, including Jagger and Richards, their first look at the future. He played a famous set at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival that was released as his first live album. It would be easier to list the rock and roll bands that weren’t influenced by Muddy Waters than to list those that were. The Rolling Stones even named themselves after his signature song.
In the late 70s, Muddy was introduced to a new generation of music fans who never got to hear him, when Johnny Winter produced 3 award-winning albums. Muddy’s career was invigorated and he went on to headline the 1983 ChicagoFest, and perform with the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, and The Band, all of whom grew up idolizing the man.
Muddy Waters went into the rock HOF in 1987. He died in his sleep from heart failure at home near Chicago on April 30, 1983, at the age of 70.
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On April 4, 1964, The Beatles established a record that will never be broken when they occupied the first 5 slots on the Billboard Hot 100 US singles chart.
"Can't Buy Me Love" was #1, "Twist and Shout" #2, "She Loves You" #3, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" #4 and "Please Please Me" was #5.
The Beatles also had 7 other singles in the top 100 – 12 out of 100 slots were filled by the Liverpudlian quartet.
In Canada, The Fab Four held 9 of the top 10 singles slots. In Australia, the charts had them occupying the first six places.
