Dubbed “The Father of Chicago Blues”, Muddy Waters is one of the most important figures in the development and history of blues music. He was placed 17th in the list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine.
And the musical heritage he gave to the world, he also passed to his own family – two sons who became musicians, Big Bill Morganfield and Larry “Mud Morganfield” Williams.
Muddy Waters (real name McKinley Morganfield) was born on April 4, 1913 in Issaquena County, Mississippi. He was raised by his grandmother, Della Grant, following his mother’s death shortly after he was born. It was then, during his childhood, he earned what was to become his trademark name – because he was fond of playing in mud.
He started his musical career on the harmonica but switched to guitar at seventeen, greatly influenced by Son House and Robert Johnson.
He went on to make musical history, winning a phenomenal string of awards and recognitions, including:
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for four songs:
1. Rollin’ Stone (1950)
2. In Your Hoochie Coochie Man (1954)
3. Manish Boy (1955)
4. Got My Mojo Working (1957)
Grammy Awards
Six more recordings earned him Grammy Awards for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording:
1. They Call Me Muddy Waters (1971)
2. The London Muddy Waters Session (1972)
3. The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album (1975)
4. Hard Again (1977)
5. I’m Ready (1978)
6. Muddy “Mississippi” Waters Live (19790
Let’s briefly trace the key years of the Muddy Waters legend:
1932 – He buys his first acoustic guitar for $2.50 from a catalog, raising the money from selling a horse.
1941 (August) – Alan Lomax records Muddy Waters for the Library of Congress. This is followed by another recording in 1942 (July).
1943 (May) – Muddy Waters goes to Chicago to become a professional blues musician. He works a regular job by day and plays at night.
1945 – He gets his first electric guitar from his uncle, Joe Grant. This enables his music to be heard above noisy audiences!
1946 (September) – His first records are cut and recorded (Columbia Label), but the songs are not released until 1971, on “They Call Me Muddy Waters”.
1947 – He records “Gypsy Woman” with Sunnyland Slim on piano but this, together with another cut “Little Ana Mae”, is not released.
1948 (April) – His songs “I Can’t Be Satisfied” and “I Feel Like Going Home” are smash hits and raise Muddy Waters’ reputation as a popular and skilled musician.
1950 (June) – Muddy Waters and his band dominate the Chicago blues scene, playing along with Little Walter Jacobs, his former harmonica player. Chess Records (formerly Aristocrat Records) releases “Rollin’ Stone”.
1953 – He forms the greatest blues band of all with harmonica player Little Walter, second guitarist Jimmy Rogers, and Otis Spann on piano.
1954 (March) – “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man”, one of Muddy Waters’ greatest hits, climbs to #3 in Billboard’s R&B chart.
1955 (July 30) – His signature song “Manish Boy” is released and hits #5 in the charts.
1958 – His song “Close to You” is the last of his series of 16 chart successes, reaching the #9 slot.
1960 (July 3) – The Newport Folk Festival hears a historical performance which is released on the “Muddy Waters at Newport” 1960 album.
1971 (March 16) – He receives his first Grammy Award for the song “They Call Me Muddy Waters”.
1981 (Feb.25) – He wins his 6th and final Grammy for “Mississippi Waters Live”, released the previous year.
1983 (April 30) – The legend dies of heart attack while sleeping.
In 1992 Muddy Waters was honored by the “Recording Academy” with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is given to performers who make an outstanding contribution to the recording industry.
