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Can't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters
Muddy Waters invented electric blues and created the template for the rock and roll band and its wild lifestyle. Gordon excavates Muddy's mysterious past and early career, taking us from Mississippi fields to postwar Chicago street corners.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 30, 2002
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1966 people want to read
About the author
Robert Gordon
209 books33 followersRobert Gordon (b. 1961) is an American writer and filmmaker from Memphis, Tennessee. His work has focused on the American south—its music, art, and politics—to create an insider's portrait of his home, both nuanced and ribald.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
November 3, 2015
If you know Muddy Waters, you know the blues. If you listen to The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, and countless other voices, you get to hear the influence of Muddy Waters. If you read this book, you get to know the life that informed all the Muddy was and what made him an authentic Delta blues man for his lifetime.
We can read about what it meant to be a Southern black and a sharecropper, but through Muddy Waters we get to hear what it meant, how it becomes part of one's bones, and how a man could find freedom through his music. Muddy was illiterate but savvy; he was a man in every sense, just listen to his lyrics. He was also selfless, accepted responsibility for the women he married and those he didn't along with his children, loyal in the music industry often to his own detriment, helpful to other musicians, and fiercely protective of his performances and look. He lived a hard life on the plantation and as a musician. Working hard was what he knew, and he played hard too among an often hard and threatening crowd, especially when he moved to Chicago.
In all things, Muddy Waters is legendary and so is his music. This book is a fascinating and gripping read, taking the reader into the places where Muddy operated, making you feel both climate and vibe. As a fan of the blues and Muddy Waters, I was captivated by the life of this extraordinary man who continues to influence great music in a contemporary world, even if that influence is under the radar.
We can read about what it meant to be a Southern black and a sharecropper, but through Muddy Waters we get to hear what it meant, how it becomes part of one's bones, and how a man could find freedom through his music. Muddy was illiterate but savvy; he was a man in every sense, just listen to his lyrics. He was also selfless, accepted responsibility for the women he married and those he didn't along with his children, loyal in the music industry often to his own detriment, helpful to other musicians, and fiercely protective of his performances and look. He lived a hard life on the plantation and as a musician. Working hard was what he knew, and he played hard too among an often hard and threatening crowd, especially when he moved to Chicago.
In all things, Muddy Waters is legendary and so is his music. This book is a fascinating and gripping read, taking the reader into the places where Muddy operated, making you feel both climate and vibe. As a fan of the blues and Muddy Waters, I was captivated by the life of this extraordinary man who continues to influence great music in a contemporary world, even if that influence is under the radar.
June 15, 2017
If you are a blues fan then Muddy Waters’ name and legacy are easily recognizable. He brought the Mississippi Delta sound to Chicago, electrified it and redefined the genre. Two young British musicians, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, lifted the name of one of Muddy’s songs when they named their newly founded band. Jann Wenner did the same when he started his new magazine in 1967. When Bob Dylan went “electric”, his first song was entitled Like a Rolling Stone. Guitar legends Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page are or were huge Muddy Waters fans. The adage goes “The Blues had a baby and they called it Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Muddy Waters was the “baby’s” godfather. So regardless if the name rings a bell, Waters’ influence on the music we listen to today is prevalent.
Robert Gordon’s book is an attempt to give us the story of McKinley Morganfield’s, (Muddy’s real name), life; from the Mississippi cotton plantation where he was raised, his move to Chicago and attaining world-wide fame. I use the word attempt because much of what we know of Muddy’s life is either what he decided we should know or what his friends and fellow musicians felt comfortable sharing. Muddy was virtually illiterate, so there is very little documentation. What we have are a lot of stories and anecdotes. The author does a very good job in parsing through these, confirming what he can while still giving us an engaging story.
Gordon also does a very good job in analyzing Muddy’s impact on music and his subsequent legacy - First, his influence among his fellow bluesmen, then on the new musical genre of rock and roll; and across the Atlantic Ocean and the birth of the British invasion.
And because the stories go hand in hand with Muddy’s, the book also chronicles the evolution of the Chicago blues scenes and Chess Records. This includes such lesser known musicians such as Otis Spann, Little Walter and Jimmy Rogers, among others.
Can’t Be Satisfied may not be the perfect biography, but as stated above verifying much of Muddy’s life is difficult. Also at times the metaphors in this book are somewhat overwrought –“His notes float like crimson leaves that skip in the wind.” - just to highlight one. All in all though, particularly if you are a blues fan, this is a very good read.
Robert Gordon’s book is an attempt to give us the story of McKinley Morganfield’s, (Muddy’s real name), life; from the Mississippi cotton plantation where he was raised, his move to Chicago and attaining world-wide fame. I use the word attempt because much of what we know of Muddy’s life is either what he decided we should know or what his friends and fellow musicians felt comfortable sharing. Muddy was virtually illiterate, so there is very little documentation. What we have are a lot of stories and anecdotes. The author does a very good job in parsing through these, confirming what he can while still giving us an engaging story.
Gordon also does a very good job in analyzing Muddy’s impact on music and his subsequent legacy - First, his influence among his fellow bluesmen, then on the new musical genre of rock and roll; and across the Atlantic Ocean and the birth of the British invasion.
And because the stories go hand in hand with Muddy’s, the book also chronicles the evolution of the Chicago blues scenes and Chess Records. This includes such lesser known musicians such as Otis Spann, Little Walter and Jimmy Rogers, among others.
Can’t Be Satisfied may not be the perfect biography, but as stated above verifying much of Muddy’s life is difficult. Also at times the metaphors in this book are somewhat overwrought –“His notes float like crimson leaves that skip in the wind.” - just to highlight one. All in all though, particularly if you are a blues fan, this is a very good read.
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April 8, 2021A very talented man. And, with the number of bastard children he fathered and 'outside women' he had, an asshole. I don't know, "never learn about your heroes," I guess. Muddy was Human, like everyone else
October 14, 2015
One of the best music biographies I've ever read. More than just the story of one of the most influential figures in the history of popular music, this is the story of the blues. Gordon traces Waters from his days as a Mississippi sharecropper, to nights spent playing at fish frys in plantation juke joints, to his big break recording for the Library of Congress, to the smokey blues clubs of Chicago and beyond. In addition to a larger than life subject (a hard drinking, poker paying, gun toting womanizer) the book is populated with a supporting class that reads like a who's who of blues: Alan Lomax, Phil and Leonard Chess, Howling Wolf, Little Walter, Willy Dixon,Junior Wells, Eric Clapton,Keith Richards, Otis Spann and more.
Gordon clearly has great affection for his subject and has spared no effort to interview pretty much every living person who ever met Waters. Nearly half the book is an exhaustive appendix that is an invaluable resource for fans of both Waters and the blues.
Gordon clearly has great affection for his subject and has spared no effort to interview pretty much every living person who ever met Waters. Nearly half the book is an exhaustive appendix that is an invaluable resource for fans of both Waters and the blues.
August 13, 2010
I watched / listened to You Tube Muddy Waters videos as I read this book. What an eye opening experience.
July 15, 2012
The Chicago suburbs where I grew up are a long way from the Mississippi Delta. The north suburbs are also in a parallel universe far from the south side of what has been called the most segregated city in America. The country blues of the Deep South played primarily on acoustic instruments came north with the musicians as northern wartime industries expanded and the great migration of African-Americans from the South was at its height during WWII and immediately afterwards. Reflecting the frenetic, mechanized, densely populated urban environment of Chicago, the instruments got plugged in and the Chicago Blues were born, complete with a big beat, wailing electric guitars, and soulful harmonica and piano playing.
A Chicago kid myself, I only picked up on the blues secondhand (like many baby boomers) through English musicians like the Animals, Yardbirds, Pretty Things, and most of all the Rolling Stones. Well, turns out THOSE musicians were getting inspired by music coming out of what was after all my own back yard. In fact the latter band's name was inspired by a 1950s Muddy Waters' hit, "Rollin' Stone."
Of all the Chicago bluesmen, Muddy Waters has the deepest legacy of all (although his rival, the likewise superbly talented Chester Burnett, AKA Howlin' Wolf, was always nipping at his heels). Born McKinley Morganfield, a sharecropper on the Stovall Plantation in Mississippi, the singer accompanying himself on acoustic guitar (sometimes with one finger inserted inside a metal tube used as a slide) was first recorded by the Library of Congress musicologist, Alan Lomax in the early 1940s, and that's when the legend of Muddy Waters began. Convinced he could make it big as a recording artist, he eventually made his way to Chicago, and the rest, as they say is history, and some great American music in the making.
The whole story is here: Muddy's initial hits with Chicago's legendary Chess Records, his unfolding career with the Chess brothers, Leonard and Phil, who after the initial raw sounding hits were often clueless as to how to record, present and promote their biggest blues artist. Their various experiments sometimes diluted his sound, such as when they overdubbed horns, and they managed to inhibit his career growth just as much as they promoted it. Here also are the stories of the multitude of sidemen who played with him, most memorably the great blues pianist, Otis Spann, and Little Walter, who first discovered how soulful a harmonica could sound when played cupped in his hands with a microphone wired to an amp with a reverberating wail cutting to the heart of the blues.
Muddy's wives are here, too, along with the outside women, the children born out of wedlock, the mothers strung out on drugs, musicians destroying their health with booze, the dangers of performing in crime ridden neighborhoods with everyone packing guns for protection, and the perils of touring around the country in overloaded station wagons on two lane highways culminating in a deadly head-on collision outside Champaign-Urbana returning from a concert in Tennessee that nearly killed Muddy in 1969.
Ultimately though, it's a tale of triumph. Although Muddy Waters' records were eclipsed in the 1960s by the musical "babies" spawned by the blues, i.e. rock and roll, rhythm & blues, Motown, and soul, and considered passé by young African-Americans as the music of their parents' generation (reminding them too much of hard times "down home"), they still manage to reach down to that deep, soulful level that makes any good music timeless. Muddy "made it" in every sense of the word, winning new fans first in England then all over the world and inspiring some of the most famous popular musicians, including Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, and fellow Chicagoans Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield, as well as a multitude of blues artists from diverse backgrounds. Along with other prominent proponents of the Chicago Blues like Howlin' Wolf, Otis Rush, Little Walter, Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson and Otis Spann, the remarkable legacy of Muddy Waters lives on.
The author tells the story well for the most part although he sometimes turns an artsy sounding phrase that doesn't quite make sense. And while it's a great portrait of an American cultural milieu it could be tough going for those not into the music. As for me I'm buying a Muddy Waters anthology CD and soon! Recommended.
A Chicago kid myself, I only picked up on the blues secondhand (like many baby boomers) through English musicians like the Animals, Yardbirds, Pretty Things, and most of all the Rolling Stones. Well, turns out THOSE musicians were getting inspired by music coming out of what was after all my own back yard. In fact the latter band's name was inspired by a 1950s Muddy Waters' hit, "Rollin' Stone."
Of all the Chicago bluesmen, Muddy Waters has the deepest legacy of all (although his rival, the likewise superbly talented Chester Burnett, AKA Howlin' Wolf, was always nipping at his heels). Born McKinley Morganfield, a sharecropper on the Stovall Plantation in Mississippi, the singer accompanying himself on acoustic guitar (sometimes with one finger inserted inside a metal tube used as a slide) was first recorded by the Library of Congress musicologist, Alan Lomax in the early 1940s, and that's when the legend of Muddy Waters began. Convinced he could make it big as a recording artist, he eventually made his way to Chicago, and the rest, as they say is history, and some great American music in the making.
The whole story is here: Muddy's initial hits with Chicago's legendary Chess Records, his unfolding career with the Chess brothers, Leonard and Phil, who after the initial raw sounding hits were often clueless as to how to record, present and promote their biggest blues artist. Their various experiments sometimes diluted his sound, such as when they overdubbed horns, and they managed to inhibit his career growth just as much as they promoted it. Here also are the stories of the multitude of sidemen who played with him, most memorably the great blues pianist, Otis Spann, and Little Walter, who first discovered how soulful a harmonica could sound when played cupped in his hands with a microphone wired to an amp with a reverberating wail cutting to the heart of the blues.
Muddy's wives are here, too, along with the outside women, the children born out of wedlock, the mothers strung out on drugs, musicians destroying their health with booze, the dangers of performing in crime ridden neighborhoods with everyone packing guns for protection, and the perils of touring around the country in overloaded station wagons on two lane highways culminating in a deadly head-on collision outside Champaign-Urbana returning from a concert in Tennessee that nearly killed Muddy in 1969.
Ultimately though, it's a tale of triumph. Although Muddy Waters' records were eclipsed in the 1960s by the musical "babies" spawned by the blues, i.e. rock and roll, rhythm & blues, Motown, and soul, and considered passé by young African-Americans as the music of their parents' generation (reminding them too much of hard times "down home"), they still manage to reach down to that deep, soulful level that makes any good music timeless. Muddy "made it" in every sense of the word, winning new fans first in England then all over the world and inspiring some of the most famous popular musicians, including Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, and fellow Chicagoans Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield, as well as a multitude of blues artists from diverse backgrounds. Along with other prominent proponents of the Chicago Blues like Howlin' Wolf, Otis Rush, Little Walter, Junior Wells, Sonny Boy Williamson and Otis Spann, the remarkable legacy of Muddy Waters lives on.
The author tells the story well for the most part although he sometimes turns an artsy sounding phrase that doesn't quite make sense. And while it's a great portrait of an American cultural milieu it could be tough going for those not into the music. As for me I'm buying a Muddy Waters anthology CD and soon! Recommended.
July 8, 2017
The first book I can remember reading, in the 1950s, was a young adult biography of John Paul Jones.
That doesn’t mean I love biographies. Honestly, I don’t read them much.
My taste in history runs to chronologies, regional and epochal frames of reference, les longues durées of the French Annalistes….
Recently I jumped out of my comfort zone to read Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters. I’m a fan of the blues, and original Delta blues is good times music for me. Muddy Waters and “Mannish Boy” are right up at the top of my list.
Robert Gordon, the author of this jam-packed Waters bio, offered this thought about his genre:
“Biography is the process of securing what is mutable. Undertaking the creation of one requires embracing the paradoxical: the writer is asked to create the skin and soul of a person, but not to inhabit it.”
That’s rather deep stuff, I think. It reminds me to mention that I’m no fan of the “great man” style of writing history, even when the great man is a great blues man.
Read more of my book reviews on my website: http://richardsubber.com/
That doesn’t mean I love biographies. Honestly, I don’t read them much.
My taste in history runs to chronologies, regional and epochal frames of reference, les longues durées of the French Annalistes….
Recently I jumped out of my comfort zone to read Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters. I’m a fan of the blues, and original Delta blues is good times music for me. Muddy Waters and “Mannish Boy” are right up at the top of my list.
Robert Gordon, the author of this jam-packed Waters bio, offered this thought about his genre:
“Biography is the process of securing what is mutable. Undertaking the creation of one requires embracing the paradoxical: the writer is asked to create the skin and soul of a person, but not to inhabit it.”
That’s rather deep stuff, I think. It reminds me to mention that I’m no fan of the “great man” style of writing history, even when the great man is a great blues man.
Read more of my book reviews on my website: http://richardsubber.com/
May 10, 2015
After a summary of the economics of share-cropping, to include one half of the gross to the plantation owner, and the other half, minus all bills, to the share-cropper, maybe the result is positive for the share-cropper, maybe not. The company store may charge unreasonable-high prices. The local plantation script may be intentionally devalued. In other words, the share-cropper gets screwed.
In summary: "Sharecropping - getting less than half of what you've got coming to you - was good training for a life in the music business." Page 9.
Born in 1913, MW worked the land. In his teens, he began to follow his musical interests, traveling around the Mississippi delta to honty-tonk joints, local party houses, and the like.
Nearing 30, he went to Chicago, the holy-land / heaven of musical greatness.
This book spent a lot of time covering the early musical associates of MW; more then I was interested in, but probably fascinating for some.
Bailed half-way through. It never really grabbed me.
In summary: "Sharecropping - getting less than half of what you've got coming to you - was good training for a life in the music business." Page 9.
Born in 1913, MW worked the land. In his teens, he began to follow his musical interests, traveling around the Mississippi delta to honty-tonk joints, local party houses, and the like.
Nearing 30, he went to Chicago, the holy-land / heaven of musical greatness.
This book spent a lot of time covering the early musical associates of MW; more then I was interested in, but probably fascinating for some.
Bailed half-way through. It never really grabbed me.
July 7, 2013
This book is well written and an interesting read, even though I struggled getting through the details of the early years.
It was interesting to read about all of the great bluesmen that were influenced by Muddy Waters and actually played in his band, such as Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter, Otis Spann, Pinetop Perkins, James Cotton, Junior Wells, and many others. It was heartbreaking to read how many of these pioneers of the blues actually died pretty young and penniless, screwed over by the record companies. It is especially heartbreaking when you consider the millions of dollars the rich and spoiled rock stars of the 70s and beyond have made from the songs and blood, sweat, and tears of these early bluesmen.
I have not read other books about Muddy Waters so I cannot compare this book to any others. I can tell you that I found it well organized and interesting most of the time. The book cleared up some of my misperceptions and knowledge gaps about Muddy Waters.
I highly recommend it.
It was interesting to read about all of the great bluesmen that were influenced by Muddy Waters and actually played in his band, such as Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter, Otis Spann, Pinetop Perkins, James Cotton, Junior Wells, and many others. It was heartbreaking to read how many of these pioneers of the blues actually died pretty young and penniless, screwed over by the record companies. It is especially heartbreaking when you consider the millions of dollars the rich and spoiled rock stars of the 70s and beyond have made from the songs and blood, sweat, and tears of these early bluesmen.
I have not read other books about Muddy Waters so I cannot compare this book to any others. I can tell you that I found it well organized and interesting most of the time. The book cleared up some of my misperceptions and knowledge gaps about Muddy Waters.
I highly recommend it.
June 22, 2010
This was an interesting read. I don't know if I learned a lot about who Muddy Waters was, but I learned a lot of what he did. The author makes a lot of Waters' sharecropping background and the idea that he was subservient to the record companies and didn't really question what he was getting as long as he was taken care of. I know a lot of recording artists have gotten screwed by record companies and it wasn't because they were sharecroppers.
I learned what others thought of Muddy and what he did, but not so much what motivated him and what he thought. I understand that it may be difficult as Muddy was mostly illiterate and didn't record his thoughts and many of those he interacted with are now dead. However, I would've liked more insight.
As other reviewers mentioned, the book bogs down with gig schedules. I've always avoided Muddy's later recordings, but the book introduced me to "Hard Again," which I was very happy to discover.
I learned what others thought of Muddy and what he did, but not so much what motivated him and what he thought. I understand that it may be difficult as Muddy was mostly illiterate and didn't record his thoughts and many of those he interacted with are now dead. However, I would've liked more insight.
As other reviewers mentioned, the book bogs down with gig schedules. I've always avoided Muddy's later recordings, but the book introduced me to "Hard Again," which I was very happy to discover.
February 10, 2011
McKinley Morganfield came up the Stovall Plantation in the Mississippi Delta playing in the dangerous water so much that his Grandmother gave him the name Muddy. He started picking cotton, playing music and finally got his first guitar after seeing Son House who would remain a big influence. He became Muddy waters after moving to Chicago and influenced many rock musicians such as the Rolling Stones who took their name from one of his songs as well as countless blues musicians.
I was lucky enough to see Muddy Waters live at Chicagofest on Navy Pier in the early 80’s. I can’t say I remember much except that he was sitting down playing long, slow, searing guitar licks with a slide on a Fender Telecaster. At the time I wasn’t really aware of the range of his influence since I was just enjoying the music, but he influenced rock bands as well as blues musicians and even a well known rock magazine took its name from one of his songs, Rolling Stone.
I was lucky enough to see Muddy Waters live at Chicagofest on Navy Pier in the early 80’s. I can’t say I remember much except that he was sitting down playing long, slow, searing guitar licks with a slide on a Fender Telecaster. At the time I wasn’t really aware of the range of his influence since I was just enjoying the music, but he influenced rock bands as well as blues musicians and even a well known rock magazine took its name from one of his songs, Rolling Stone.
December 29, 2013
An excellent account of Muddy's development from acoustic blues in the delta to electric blues in Chicago. He led the way in updating the music from an agricultural environment to an urban setting where he created the music which so heavily influenced younger musicians in the Stones and people like Clapton & Page.
The book pulls no punches and shows aspects of Muddy's life & character which do not show him in a good light. It offers insights into the other musicians & people he worked closely with such as Little Walter & Leonard Chess.
We also find out about what life was like cotton picking in the delta and why workers left for the north when this process became mechanised.
It is well researched with numerous references and even refers to the work of Lomax who travelled the south recording singers & musicians for the American Library. This was valuable work as, otherwise, these early versions of the blues may have been lost.
I would thoughly recommend this book.
The book pulls no punches and shows aspects of Muddy's life & character which do not show him in a good light. It offers insights into the other musicians & people he worked closely with such as Little Walter & Leonard Chess.
We also find out about what life was like cotton picking in the delta and why workers left for the north when this process became mechanised.
It is well researched with numerous references and even refers to the work of Lomax who travelled the south recording singers & musicians for the American Library. This was valuable work as, otherwise, these early versions of the blues may have been lost.
I would thoughly recommend this book.
June 23, 2015
I watched Cadillac Records and found the story it told too superficial and Hollywood; I wanted to know the real story of Muddy Waters and the history of the blues. This book was perfect for that. Every part of the movie gave only a glimpse - sometimes that glimpse was out of focus and sometimes it was grossly oversimplified.
Can't Be Satisfied fills in all the details. You learn about Muddy's original success and his second coming. You learn real stories about what blues musicians he was the role model for and what rock musicians he influenced. It was great to see how much time he had in his later years to receive the fame and admiration of younger more famous stars that found their sound through him (Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, etc).
The book is well written, and through the story of Muddy Waters (aka McKinley Morganfield) tells the history of the blues.
Can't Be Satisfied fills in all the details. You learn about Muddy's original success and his second coming. You learn real stories about what blues musicians he was the role model for and what rock musicians he influenced. It was great to see how much time he had in his later years to receive the fame and admiration of younger more famous stars that found their sound through him (Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, etc).
The book is well written, and through the story of Muddy Waters (aka McKinley Morganfield) tells the history of the blues.
December 15, 2012
So much detail in this book. Exhaustive investigation of his early life and legendary encounters with key icons in American music. One drawback is the author spends a LOT of time detailing Muddy's sexual exploits in a way that isn't relevant to the story. Like, I just need to know that Muddy hooked with the lady across the street because she was renowned for her sexual prowess, I don't need to read several paragraphs about what it was exactly that she did.
Small drawback in an otherwise excellent book. The discography is great.
I am re-reading this one too because there's so much in it it's hard to get it all the first time.
Small drawback in an otherwise excellent book. The discography is great.
I am re-reading this one too because there's so much in it it's hard to get it all the first time.
July 12, 2012
A curious rock n' roll biography in that it's devoid of the stereotypical decline and fall due to drink and drugs. Muddy's life and career were interesting but remarkably straightforward. He mostly stayed out of trouble (except with women) and his career had highs and lows, before ending at a pretty high point of fame and success (if not so much in the way of monetary gain). The book was excellent, but seemed a bit short to me. Perhaps because of a lack of many scandalous escapades a la HAMMER OF THE GODS or NO ONE HERE GETS OUT ALIVE. Recommended for blues and rock fans.
April 19, 2012
This book is a must for any blues fan. It tells the story of one of the great masters of the blues Muddy Waters and how he and other Chicago blues greats like Howling Wolf and Little Walter changed the direction of contempory music forever. It is well told and not only outlines his brilliant musical career but also also his relationships with the Chess brother, his women and some of his children. A great book.
September 20, 2012
I had a very enjoyable ... and educational ... experience with this book. As I read it I followed along on youtube and wiki (listening to and reading about) every song, album, and performer mentioned. Perhaps in the future ebooks will be written in a way that provide links to performances and additional resources. Previous to this I read Buddy Guys autobiography. Reading this book has made me want to read books on or by BB King, Howlin Wolf and Little Walter.
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July 15, 2016Jeff says:
I was lucky enough to see Muddy Waters live at Chicagofest on Navy Pier in the early 80’s. I can’t say I remember much except that he was sitting down playing long, slow, searing guitar licks with a slide on a Fender Telecaster. At that time I wasn’t really aware of the range of his influence since I was just enjoying the music, but he influenced rock bands as well as blues musicians and even a well known rock magazine took its name from one of his songs, Rolling Stone.
I was lucky enough to see Muddy Waters live at Chicagofest on Navy Pier in the early 80’s. I can’t say I remember much except that he was sitting down playing long, slow, searing guitar licks with a slide on a Fender Telecaster. At that time I wasn’t really aware of the range of his influence since I was just enjoying the music, but he influenced rock bands as well as blues musicians and even a well known rock magazine took its name from one of his songs, Rolling Stone.
December 4, 2016
I've had this book for a few years but hadn't gotten around to reading it until just now. What struck me most about the life of Muddy was that he didn't allow bad things that happened to him to stop him from enjoying his life. He became one of the most famous and influential musicians of his era and produced some truly great music along the way. I've been a fan of his stuff for some time and reading this book only adds to my enjoyment of hearing one of his tunes come up on my blues mix.
March 8, 2011
Not bad overall, and the long quoted sections where it's just Muddy talking are really enjoyable. Unfortunately the author is a huge dork and every few pages there's a cringe-worthy dad joke, or another piece of 'blues wisdom' imparted by a middle-aged white guy who was probably a virgin until the age of 30.
May 23, 2015
A truly great read. The author brings you into the world of the plantation juke joints of Mississippi, the Blues clubs of Chicago and the eventual concert halls that Muddy strode like a lion. It also gives a view behind the curtain at the private Muddy Waters. I would highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in the Blues.
December 8, 2014
Nothing but Muddy here. This is a very enjoyable read that brings you from Delta to Chicago in the most personal terms. A panoramic introduction the the Blues greats from the greatest. You will learn a lot more than about blues music in this book, since it reveals a great deal about a vibrant sector of the American experience .
May 12, 2007
It makes me want to walk the steps of muddy and I thought that the author did a great job causing you to research other blues artists that played with muddy, and inspired him. I spent many hours listening to muddy and other artists because of this book.
February 13, 2011
First there is the music: deep, powerful, sexy. You have to get that on your own.
Then there is the man -- simple, complicated, ignorant, brilliant -- and the hurricane in which he set sail. You get some help here.
Essential reading.
Then there is the man -- simple, complicated, ignorant, brilliant -- and the hurricane in which he set sail. You get some help here.
Essential reading.
July 5, 2014
Muddy Waters was and continues to be the King of the Chicago blues. At the time of his passing I was playing in my first blues band and covering a lot of his classic tunes. Reading this book brought back the shock and loss of his death and the triumph of his life.
God Bless Muddy Waters.
God Bless Muddy Waters.
April 27, 2015
Muddy Waters inspired magazines, hundreds of musicians and left a sizeable musical legacy, this book recounts his life well, his greatness and his flaws; his work and his private life.
If you are a blues fan, this is a must read.
If you are a blues fan, this is a must read.
March 22, 2015
A good, informative, and engaging chronicle of Muddy's life, career, and influence on other musicians though I would have appreciated a deeper discussion of his approach to music and what made his unique from other blues artists who were his contemporaries.
August 29, 2007
I swear I liked the blues before the hipsters told me I should.
September 16, 2007
A great read for anyone who loves Muddy's music, the blues or just music...
April 1, 2008
Decent writing. But for any blues fan this is a must. Muddy is the original Mack.
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