Howlin' Wolf - 100 Years Old

The great Howlin' Wolf was born 100 years ago yesterday in White Station, Mississippi. He was christened Chester Burnette, but he was born to be the Howlin' Wolf. The greatest bluesman the world has ever seen. Happy birthday Wolf.

I'm just sat here in bed watching videos of him and my misses just says to me, play that "Spoonful". I didn't even know she knew it - she's as surprising as he is awesome.

And finally, check out the entrance he makes to this live spot.

Reasons to Love youTube No.1 - Lightnin' Hopkins

Lightnin' Hopkins - Baby Please Don't Go

Wham Bam Sam playing the much covered Big Joe Williams classic. Lightnin' plays the guitar solo with the love and freedom that Jerry Lee sometimes plays a piano solo. It looks so effortless - amazing. The only negative thing I can think of is that his quiff wasn't as pomped as it sometimes was.

Lightnin' Hopkins - Mojo Hand 1962

I've seen five peice bands who couldn't boogie like this mutha.

Clip from The Blues According to lightnin' Hopkins

Has the blues ever been more powerful than Lightnin' and Howlin' Wolf. This five minute clip comes from the brilliant 1967 documentary dedicated to Lightnin' Hopkins. Check him out 30 seconds in, that quif I mentioned is just a comb away.

Rockin' Song of the Week No. 92 - Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets

Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets – Lemonade
(Rack 'Em Up - 1989 - Black Top)

White Texas blues guitarist Anson Funderburgh played with a pile of blues bands in the 70s and 80s including the Fabulous Thunderbirds on their Butt Rockin' album, but it was when he teamed up the Delta bluesman Sam Myers that all hell broke loose.

Funderburgh’s hot guitar and song-writing ability were the perfect foil for Missippi born Myers’ great down home vocal style. I’ve got half a dozen of their albums but it’s the first one I bought, 1989’s Rack ‘Em Up that’s still my favourite.

Lemonade is a stand-out for me, being a mid tempo blues stroller that has Funderburgh on fire and drummer Marc Wilson banging the skins for all he’s worth. Myers delivers a wonderful vocal before giving us a heavily amplified, stonking harmonica solo that the boys in Chicago would have been proud of. Pianist Matt McCabe just about steals the show with a great solo and some fine twinkling throughout.

“I’m looking for a woman, that only drinks lemonade, I haven’t found one yet, but I know there’s a few that’s been made”.

Recommended downloads: I’m Your Professor (see youTube clip below), Tell Me What I Want To Hear and Tell Me What Have I Done Wrong.

youTube Clip - John Lee Hooker

Here's a competition. I'll send a new pair of ears to the first person to watch this and not stamp his feet to the beat. It's a wonderful clip of primetime John Lee Hooker, from the American Folk Blues Festival in 1965. You get the feeling if the painted town behind him fell down you'd see Gene Wilder and the Blazing Saddles crew.