My friend Dick Brunning got me into the Blues when I was fourteen. He would endlessly play Lightnin’ Hopkins and Howlin’ Wolf with a bit of John Lee Hooker thrown in. I became hooked.
Here are my favourites:
Elmore James
Lightnin’ Hopkins
Howlin’ Wolf
John Lee Hooker
Muddy Waters
Sonny Boy Williams
Hounddog Taylor
Jimmy Reed
Little Walter Jacobs
Buddy Guy
BB King
Freddy King
Albert King
Willie Dixon
Otis Rush
Magic Sam
I enjoyed the Blues of Howlin’ Wolf so much yesterday that I thought I’d follow it up with a bit of Muddy Waters. I was lucky enough to see him live a few times in the 60s and 70s. I would have loved to have seen him live in the 50s in one of those steamy Chicago dives!!
I love the Country Blues and was fortunate enough to see a lot of these guys when they were dug out of oblivion in the late 60s to find themselves revered by a white audience in Europe.
They had these blues Festivals. They were so good!
Dick Brunning. a school friend of mine, introduced me to the Blues when I was 14. I’m forever grateful.
These are my favourites:
Son House
Robert Johnson
Bo Carter
John Lee Hooker
Lightnin’ Hopkins
Memphis Minnie
Snooks Eaglin
Bukka White
Willie Johnson
Sleepy John Estes
Mississippi Fred McDowell
Peg Leg Howell
Skip James
Mississippi John Hurt
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee
Lead Belly
R L Burnside
Junior KImbrough
Charlie Patton
Blind Willie Mctell
Furry Lewis
Texas Alexander
Memphis Jug Band
Mississippi Sheiks
Just writing about the Swamp Blues left me with a lust for a bit of Slim Harpo!!!
This is an easy one. Way back in the 60s I discovered this wonderful album called Swamp Blues. It featured all these guys. They recorded down in Louisiana in bayou country – swamp country. There stuff was on the Excello label produced by J.D. Jay Miller and has a distinctive swampy feel based around that infectious Jimmy Reed beat. I loved it.
I loved those names too. They were magical! That album was special.
Then my daughter moved to Baton Rouge with her job and I was able to check it all out. I tracked down Slim Harpos grave!
Back in London I found Lazy Lester playing in some obscure club and took my youngest son along to see him. A great evening!
The swamp Blues was important. It was covered by the Stones, Kinks and Yardbirds! But the originals are best!
Slim Harpo
Lazy Lester
Lightnin’ Slim
Lonesome Sundown
Silas Hogan
Katie Webster
This is always dicey. I always miss someone good off!
Roy Harper
Bob Dylan
Phil Ochs
Neil Young
Don Van Vliet
Lennon and McCartney
Joni Mitchell
Woody Guthrie
Buffy St Marie
Nick Harper
James Varda
Willie Dixon
Most of them had something to say for themselves and wrote with depth and meaning. I like that!
OK – who did I miss out? Who would feature on your list?
I love this Blues Harp – an expert.
Whatever music I get into I always go back to the Blues. Robert Johnson was so good!!
Robert Johnson – The Best Of Vol 1 (Full Album / Album complet) – YouTube
I used to play old Sonny Boy all the time. Perfect!! Just what I need.
Sonny Boy Williamson – All the Best (FULL ALBUM – BEST OF BLUES) – YouTube
The real Fleetwood Mac with the great Pete Green – not the pop group.
I used to see these guys regularly for 25p! Always a great evening!!
(1) Fleetwood Mac : Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac (Full Album) – YouTube
