Howlin’ Wolf: The King of the Blues

Howlin’ Wolf was one of the most important and influential blues musicians of all time. In this blog post, we explore his life and music.

Early Life

Born Chester Arthur Burnett in White Station, Mississippi on June 10, 1910, Howlin’ Wolf was raised by his mother Gertrude and his grandmother Ellen. When he was three years old, his father quit farming to move to Memphis to work as a sharecropper. As a child, Wolf loved music and wanted to learn to play the violin. However, his family could not afford to buy him one.

Born in Mississippi

Howlin’ Wolf was born Chester Arthur Burnett on June 10, 1910, in White Station, Mississippi. He was the son of a sharecropper and grew up working on his family’s farm. As a child, he listened to the music of Charley Patton and other Delta bluesmen who played at local functions. When he was seven years old, his parents split up, and he went to live with his maternal grandmother in Ruleville, Mississippi. It was there that he first began singing and playing the harmonica.

Moved to Chicago

Chicago’s vibrant urban blues scene was the perfect place for Howlin’ Wolf to continue developing his own style. The city was full of talented musicians, and Wolf quickly began to make a name for himself. He played at some of the most famous clubs in town, including the 708 Club and the Spot in West Side, establishin himself as one of the premier blues artists in Chicago.

Career

Howlin’ Wolf’s birth name was Chester Arthur Burnett. He was born on June 10, 1910, in White Station, Mississippi. Wolf was a popular blues singer, guitarist, and harmonica player. He was known for his deep, growling voice and his powerful, deep guitar playing. Wolf’s career began in the early 1930s when he started playing the guitar and singing in the streets of Memphis, Tennessee.

First recordings in 1951

Howlin’ Wolf’s first recordings were made in 1951 for RPM Records. They were produced by Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, who later went on to produce records by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The recordings were done in the studio of Chess Records in Chicago.

First hit song, “Smokestack Lightning”

Smokestack Lightning” is a 1956 song by American blues musician Howlin’ Wolf. The song was written by Chester Burnett (Howlin’ Wolf) and is one of his best-known songs. It was first recorded in 1956 and released as a single in 1957. It has been covered by many artists, including The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Eric Clapton.

The song is based on a 12-bar blues format and features a stop-time riff in the opening verse that is similar to the opening riff in Muddy Waters’ “Rollin’ Stone”. The song’s structure is unusual in that it features two extended solo sections which alternate with the verses. The first solo is played by Willie Johnson on guitar and the second solo is played by Hubert Sumlin on guitar. Howlin’ Wolf’s vocals are powerful and full of emotion.

“Smokestack Lightning” became a hit song for Howlin’ Wolf, reaching number one on the Billboard R&B chart in 1956. It has been included on several compilation albums, including The Chess Box (1988), which is a 3-CD set that includes all of Howlin’ Wolf’s recordings for the Chess label.

Signing with Chess Records

In April 1952,Howlin’ Wolf was discovered by the American record producer Sam Phillips at the Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Wolf had been recording for a small local label, RPM Records, run by two brothers, Leonard and Philip Chess. After hearing a couple of Wolf’s recordings, Phillips wanted to record him for Chess. Wolf initially balked at the idea of leaving RPM, but finally agreed to make the move to Chess after hearing that Muddy Waters had recently joined the label.

Personal Life

Howlin’ Wolf, born Chester Arthur Burnett, was an American blues singer, guitarist, and harmonica player. He was born in Mississippi in 1910 and was one of the first generation of blues musicians to be recorded. He moved to Chicago in 1953 and found success with his powerful voice and gut-wrenching style of singing. He died in 1976.

Married three times

Howlin’ Wolf married Minta Williams in May 1948. They had sixteen children together, eleven of whom were alive at the time of his death. Wolf left his family in 1960 and moved to Chicago. In 1962, he married Joan Javits, the adoptive daughter of US Senator Jacob K. Javits. The couple had no children and divorced in 1964. His third wife was Thelmacomputer Morgan, whom he married in 1968 and remained with until his death.

Had eleven children

Howlin’ Wolf had eleven children, most with his wife Hattie Bell. He also had relationships with other women, and several of his children were conceived out of wedlock. Hattie Bell was Howlin’ Wolf’s only wife, and they were married for over twenty years.

Later Years

In the early 1960s, Howlin’ Wolf altered his approach slightly, recording with a full band including horns for the first time. The results were electrifying, as evidenced by such tracks as “Shake for Me” and “I Ain’t Superstitious”. Howlin’ Wolf continued to tour and record throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, although his output became somewhat sporadic.

Health problems

In the later years of his life, Howlin’ Wolf dealt with a number of health problems. These included back problems, which caused him considerable pain and forced him to take a break from touring in 1966. He also had trouble with his eyesight and was diagnosed with glaucoma in 1968. Despite these issues, he continued to perform and recorded a number of albums in the 1970s.

In 1974, he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his throat. The operation was successful, but it left him unable to speak for several months. He eventually regained some of his speech and was able to continue performing. However, his health continued to decline and he died of heart failure in 1976.

Died of cancer in 1976

Howlin’ Wolf died of cancer on January 10, 1976, at the age of 65. He was cremated, and his ashes were scattered in accordance with his wishes. Little more than a year later, Muddy Waters died; he was 68. Together, these three giants—Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Willie Dixon—had changed the face of popular music, and their influence would be felt for generations to come.