Muddy Waters was a twentieth century African American blues musician. He is deemed the “father of modern Chicago blues” and influenced the 1960s generation of England which resulted in the appearance of British blues.

Born on April 4, 1913, in Issaquena County, Mississippi, Muddy Waters was originally named McKinley Morganfield. He was raised by his grandmother, Della Grant, after the demise of his mother closely following his birth. Mrs. Grant used to call him by his nickname, Muddy, which was given to him based on his habit of playing in the muddy water. In his later life he actually took up the name Muddy Waters permanently. He began to play harmonica in his teenage years and soon after he was playing guitar at parties. In 1932, he got married to Mabel Berry but three years later his wife left him when she discovered about his infidelity and an illegitimate child with a young girl. Over the years he married once gain but left her as he moved to Chicago in 1943.

In 1941, Alan Lomax, one of the great folklorist, ethnomusicologist of American history approached Waters and recorded his music. Waters felt encouraged when he listened himself on the record and realized he could make it as a musician one day. Two years later, he flew to Chicago in hopes of becoming a full-time professional musician. During his early years in Chicago, in order to to make a living he used to drive truck and worked in a factory by day and played music at night. He was eventually given a break by a leading blues musician in Chicago, Big Bill Broonzy to perform at night clubs. By 1946, he gained enough influence to have his music recorded at Columbia but it was not released immediately. He was approached by a newly founded record label Aristocrat Records to record his work.

Waters played guitar with an American blues pianist Sunnyland Slim on the tracks such as “Little Anna Mae” and “Gypsy Woman”. By 1947 he was still struggling as a music artist. However, in 1948, with the release of “I Feel Like Going Home” and “I Can’t Be Satisfied”,

Wakanda News Details

Honoring the Rev. Dr. Hercules Miles, Jr.

You may also like

Politics Facts

Black Sands: Legends of Kemet Alpha Footage

Random Facts

American Civil War Facts