howlin' wolf

SteveB

SteveB

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did the Wolf play much guitar, or was it mostly his band-members playing lead? Who were the prominent members of his bands, anyone know?

In any case, the best voice ever in Blues, IMNSHO.

 
Glad to see someone who loves The Wolf. His main guitarist over the years was Hubert Sumlin. One of the underrated greats!

 
I believe the two main guitarists in Wolf's band were Willie Johnson (great name) and Hubert Sumlin. I saw Hubert a couple of years ago and it was a great show. That show convinced me that the sound is in the fingers of the player and not in the equipment. Hubert played a Les Paul Smartwood through a Fender reissue amp and he sounded exactly like the recordings.

 
Hubert's work with Bobby Bland on Bobby's version of "Stormy Monday" is *the* definitive version, IMO. Didn't realize Hubert was playing with Wolf. Cool. T-Bone may have written it, but Bobby and Hubert perfected it.

 
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You can see Hubert play in the Crossroads festival DVD that Clapton made. He plays the LP smartwood and it's signed by all the other players. It's good stuff with him, BB, Jimmie Vaughn, Clapton, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy and probably a few more that I missed. Robert Cray really impressed me with some great licks and vocals.

 
I always thought of him as a harmonica player, although I know he played guitar as well. Guess that's because everything I have by him has someone else playing guitar.

 
I saw Sumlin play with David Johanson on vocals and that was just bone chillingly good! If you closed your eyes, there he was.........

 
Wolf did play guitar - but I magine it would be mostly rhythm. There's a film of the Wolf playing a Firebird while Hubert Sumlin contents himself with a cheapo electric. Wild! I think this was from the famous German folk festival, the name of which escapes me. Funny that Sumlin would be playing a chapo guitar long after he made his name with goldtop Les Pauls. There are also a few pics of the Wolf playing a white 60's strat with a rosewood board.

You can hear his playing on the famous "Little Red Rooster" rehearsal with Eric Clapton.

 
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Sumlin probably did most of the famous licks from the Wolf classics, such as the opening lead riff on Killing Floor, which has been co-opted a zillion different ways.

There's a great profile/interview with Sumlin in Stereophile magazine. Can't remember if it's Feb or March 2005 -- may still be on the newstands.

One cool thing is that a small bleeding edge audiophile label recorded Sumlin within the last few years, so his experience and creative licks are being recorded with good bands with state-of-the-art digital transfers.

http://www.blueheavenstudios.com/recordings.cfm

http://store.acousticsounds.com/search_res...archText=Sumlin

 
Howlin' Wolf mostly played blues harp. Wolf's early stuff was recorded in Memphis in 1951-2 at Sun studio. Willie Johnson is on the early stuff. In the mid-1950s, Wolf moved to Chess Records. He recorded some classic singles that are available on a terrific Two For One CD called Howlin' Wolf/Moanin' in the Moonlight. Hubert Sumlin and Jody Williams are on guitar on many of these. A second collection of singles is available as The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues. Or, why not spring for the excellent 3 CD Chess Box? For modern Wolf-inspired music, listen to James Blood Ulmer and Vernon Reid on Ulmer's Memphis Blood.

 
Highly recommend you check out The Howlin Wolf Story .

I met Joe Lauro at a pre-release showing of this file on LI. Hubert was there, also. That was a GOOD night, indeed!!!

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tg-

sweet post. I learned much. As for style and technique I attempt to learn from the old-timers. Currently, i'm all over duane eddy's tunes and style and gas'n for a gretsch, gibson, or guild to reproduce that tone.

again, very good post about something informative.

kilroy sends...

(formerly kilroy-is-here)

 
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