Muddy Waters
McKinley Morganfield also known as Muddy Waters, was born on April 4th 1913 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. He died April 30th 1983 in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of the dominant figures of post-war blues. “Morganfield’s mother died when he just three years old, and from then on he was raised on the Stovall Plantation in Clarksdale, Mississippi by his grandmother, Della Grant. Grant is said to have given young Morganfield the nickname “Muddy” because he liked to play in the mud as a boy, and the name stuck, with “Water” and “Waters” being tacked on a few years later.” He was a singer, a songwriter, a guitarist, and leader of one of the strongest bands in the genre.
Waters took the influences of rural blues from the Deep South and moved them uptown, putting a fierce, electric energy in hid music. Having already mastered the rudiments of the harmonica and guitar, Waters began performing and Alan Lomax documented this early country blues period. Touring the south making field recordings for the Library Of Congress, this renowned archivist and his colleague John Work tracked down, interviewed and recorded Waters on a portable disc recorder on a number of occasions between August 1941 and 1942. At first Muddy hid from them thinking they were policeman arresting him for making illegal liquor’. The first momentous recording was ‘Burr Clover Blues’, although this track was only used as a recording guide. The following year Waters moved to Chicago where he befriended ‘Big’ Bill Broonzy, whose influence and help proved vital to the younger performer.
The Essay on Blue Chip Risk Years Time
Investing Strategies Pre-Career (16-25) - During this investment period in my life my goal is to have safety of principal while still receiving income. This is a very low risk portfolio strategy. Income will most likely be low because I will hopefully be enrolled in a post secondary education and graduate school. During this time I will be taking very minimal risks by investing in securities such ...
Waters soon began using amplified, electric instruments and by 1948 had signed a recording contract with the newly founded Aristocrat label, the name of which was later changed to Chess Records. Waters’ second release, ‘I Feel Like Goin’ Home’/‘I Can’t Be Satisfied’, was a minor R&B hit and its understated accompaniment from bass player Big Crawford set a pattern for several further singles, including ‘Rollin’ And Tumblin’’, ‘Rollin’ Stone’ and ‘Walkin’ Blues’. By 1951 the guitarist was using a full backing band and among the magnificent musicians who passed through its ranks were Otis Spann (piano), Jimmy Rogers (guitar), Little Walter, Walter ‘Shakey’ Horton and James Cotton (all harmonica).
This pool of talent ensured that the Muddy Waters Band was Chicago’s most influential unit and a score of seminal recordings, including ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’, ‘I’ve Got My Mojo Working’, ‘Mannish Boy’, ‘You Need Love’ and ‘I’m Ready’, established the leader’s abrasive guitar style and impassioned singing. Waters’ international stature was secured in 1958 when he toured Britain at the request of jazz trombonist Chris Barber.
Although criticized in some quarters for his use of amplification, Waters’ effect on a new generation of white enthusiasts was immense. Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner abandoned skiffle in his wake and their subsequent combo, Blues Incorporated, was the catalyst for the Rolling Stones, the Graham Bond Organisation, Long John Baldry and indeed British R&B itself.
Ironically, while such groups enjoyed commercial success, Waters struggled against indifference. Deemed ‘old-fashioned’ in the wake of soul music, he was obliged to update his sound and repertoire, resulting in such misjudged releases as Electric Mud, which featured a reading of the Rolling Stones’ ‘Let’s Spend The Night Together’, the ultimate artistic volte-face. Keith Richards has recalled the time when he visited Chess Records and discovered Waters in the hallway in white overalls painting the ceilings of the office. Although Richard’s observation has been challenged, there was a period when Waters greatness was not fully recognized.
The artist did complete a more sympathetic project in Fathers And Sons on which he was joined by Paul Butterfield and featured some excellent guitar from Mike Bloomfield, but his work during the 60s was overall generally disappointing. The London Sessions kept Waters in the public eye, as did his appearance at the Band’s The Last Waltz concert, but it was an inspired series of collaborations with guitarist Johnny Winter that signaled a dramatic rebirth. This pupil produced and arranged four excellent albums that recaptured the fire and purpose of Waters’ early releases and bestowed a sense of dignity to this musical giant’s legacy.
The Essay on Water Purification
There are many reasons why we need to treat our water, and there are also many different ways we can treat our water. Water is very important to our survival. Regulations are set so that our water is healthy for us to drink. Without those regulations there could be things in our water to cause us to be sick. Some problems in parts of the country are heavy metals. One of the best ways to see if you ...
Muddy delivered a stunning performance of “Mannish Boy” that became one of the highlights of Martin Scorsese’s 1978 concert film The Last Waltz. Between Hard Again and The Last Waltz, Waters enjoyed a major career boost, and he found himself touring again for large and enthusiastic crowds, sharing stages with the likes of Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones, and cutting two more well-received albums with Winter as producer, 1978’s I’m Ready and 1981’s King Bee, as well as a solid 1979 concert set, Muddy “Mississippi” Waters Live. Waters’ health began to fail him in 1982, and his final live appearance came in the fall of that year, when he sang a few songs at an Eric Clapton show in Florida.
Waters had a majestic stage presence and possessed an amazing natural singing voice that became instantly recognizable. He died of heart failure in 1983, his status as one of the world’s most influential musical figures is unquestionably secured. Without Waters there would be no Rolling Stones, no Rolling Stone magazine, and no ‘Like A Rolling Stone’.
Works Cited/Consulted
“AllMusic.” AllMusic. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2013. <http://www.allmusic.com/artist/muddy-waters-mn0000608701>.
“The Official Muddy Waters Website – Biography.” The Official Muddy Waters Website – Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2013. <http://www.muddywaters.com/bio.html>.
