Blues Artists

Muddy Waters is one of the most influential musicians in blues history. He was first recorded in 1941 at Stovall Farm, Coahoma County, Mississippi by Alan Lomax.

The Mississippi Blues Trail marker at the Muddy Waters House site, Stovall Farms, outside Clarksdale, Mississippi.
The Mississippi Blues Trail marker at the Muddy Waters House site, Stovall Farms, outside Clarksdale, Mississippi.

After he moved to Chicago he became one of the major figures in creating the Chicago blues sound.

He influenced bands like the Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger and Keith Richard, both Muddy Waters fans, reportedly met on a British railway platform in 1962 after Keith Richard spotted Mick Jagger holding a Muddy Waters record under his arm and approached Jagger to ask about the record.

Here are some videos of Muddy Waters’ performances:

Performing You Can’t Lose What You Never Had on British TV, 1962

Muddy Waters performing on German TV, circa 1962, with Otis Spann, Big Joe Williams, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Willie Dixon, Victoria Spivey, Lonnie Johnson, Memphis Slim and others

Performing You Can’t Lose What You Never Had, 1966

Copenhagen Jazz Festival, 27 October 1968

Here’s a Muddy Waters performance and interview, Chicago, 1971

Muddy Waters with Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner and George “Harmonica” Smith, Eugene, Oregon, 1971. Apparently this documentary was shot by the film crew of the TV show Gunsmokel

A compilation of Muddy Waters performances

 

Muddy Waters in Dortmund, Germany, 1976

Muddy Waters performing at the Chicago Festival in 1981 with a guest appearance by Johnny Winter:

Muddy Waters performing Please Don’t Go with the Rolling Stones at the Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago, 1981

Muddy Waters performing Mannish Boy with the Rolling Stones at the Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago, 1981

Recommended Recordings
CD cover, Muddy Waters - The Complete Plantation Recordings contains all the Muddy Waters sides recorded by Alan Lomax at Stovall Farms in 1941-42.
CD cover, Muddy Waters – The Complete Plantation Recordings contains all the Muddy Waters sides recorded by Alan Lomax at Stovall Farms in 1941-42.

Muddy Waters – The Complete Plantation Recordings – contains all the Muddy Waters recordings made by Alan Lomax at Muddy Waters’ House on Stovall Farm, outside Clarksdale, Coahoma County, Mississippi in 1941 and 1942

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CD cover, Muddy Waters, The Complete Aristocrat & Chess Singles As & Bs 1947-62, on Acrobat Records
CD cover, Muddy Waters, The Complete Aristocrat & Chess Singles As & Bs 1947-62, on Acrobat Records

Muddy Waters: The Complete Aristocrat & Chess Singles As & Bs 1947-1962 – contains all the classic Muddy Waters singles released by the Chicago record labels Aristocrat Records (the forerunner of Chess Records) and Chess Records between 1947 and 1962.

Good remastering at a reasonable price.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recommended Books

Book cover, Can't Be Satisfied - The Life and Times of Muddy Waters by Robert Gordon
Book cover, Can’t Be Satisfied – The Life and Times of Muddy Waters by Robert Gordon

Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life And Times Of Muddy Waters by Robert Gordon

This is an excellent biography of Muddy Waters; well worth reading if you like Muddy Waters’ music

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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