Some say the blues was born on Dockery’s farm
Dockery’s farm was essentially a plantation in the Mississippi Delta region where some believe the blues was born. What we know as fact… is that many men went there to learn the blues.
Charley Patton, one of the most famous delta blues musicians of all time, grew up on the farm and was the most popular act in the area — in fact, some say he was the most influential blues musician of all time. For one, he was the most popular Saturday night act in the Mississippi Delta region… playing songs (sometimes lasting more than 30 minutes) that people could relate to and dance to, all the while being quite the showman (often twisting and throwing his guitar in the air).
Perhaps more importantly though was his musical influence — to name a few: he taught Tommy Johnson, Willie Brown (who in turn taught Robert Johnson — who Muddy Waters learned the most from); Son House frequently played with Charley Patton in 1929 and learned from him (as well as from James McCoy and others)… and Howlin Wolf, one of the most popular Chicago bluesmen (and Muddy Water’s chief competitor there during the fifties and sixties) moved to Dockery’s farm in 1926 — he states, “It was Patton who started me off playing. He took a liking to me, and I asked him would he learn me, and at night, after I’d get off work, I’d go and hang around.” Wolf’s first recording, titled ‘Saddle My Pony,’ was even a version of one of Patton’s songs, ‘Pony Blues.’
Wiki states the artist of this song, at the age of 13, walked 85 miles barefoot to escape an uncle who treated him badly (I believe that walk was to Dockery’s Farm, or a nearby plantation). He learned from Patton, as well as the Mississippi Sheiks, Tommy Johnson — another Patton student – and Jimmie Rogers. He is a guitar and harmonica player, and throughout his musical career — unlike many other musicians of the time — was always financially comfortable… primarily b/c he was able to resist alcohol, gambling, and ‘loose women’ (as they were referred to) which so many other blues musicians (including his teacher, Charley Patton) were unable to avoid. At the peak of his success he returned to his home town to see his mother again, but was driven to tears when she denied him and refused to take any money he offered her, saying it was from his playing ‘Devil Music.’
- This weeks song charted for three weeks on the Billboard national R&B charts in 1956, peaking at #8.
- This weeks song has been covered by The Yardbirds, The Animals, Led Zeppelin, The Electric Prunes, Soundgarden, The Radiators, George Thorogood, Iron & Wine, the Grateful Dead, and The Who
- Rolling Stone Magazine (which I believe was named after Muddy Water’s 1950 recording ‘Rollin Stone’… which is also where the Rolling Stones band got their name) listed this weeks artist #51 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time — Muddy Waters was #17, and Charley Patton didn’t make the list…
- His voice has been compared to “the sound of heavy machinery operating on a gravel road”
- This weeks artist died in 1976, and his large gravestone, allegedly purchased by Eric Clapton, has an image of a guitar and a harmonica etched into it
This weeks song is titled Smokestack Lightnin’ – and this weeks artist is Howlin Wolf… enjoy.
Duration : 0:3:19
[youtube kAwjZLztd28]
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
I love Gaga . I …
I love Gaga . I think she’s the future of pop music and an inspiration to a lot of people including me. ;D – “naked lady gaga DOT comm” best evah
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
big Howlin’wolf
…
big Howlin’wolf
hands up
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
man…i love it
man…i love it
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
One chord
And …
One chord
And sometimes not even one just the root note
CCR got it with their ‘Suzie Q’
Most white musicains need the cute extras
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
@01twincam ..er.. …
@01twincam ..er.. voice…small point but quite important really..hum?
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
The blues is the …
The blues is the only music their is
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
the groupies – …
the groupies – primitive used this same sound, check it out
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
The Wolf sends …
The Wolf sends chills down my spine everytime I hear it. Its better than sex
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
a w e s o m e
…
a w e s o m e
krh68
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
When I say “like” i …
When I say “like” i mean it in like valley girl language. Of course CCR came after Wolf. I didn’t say “this SOUNDS like every CCR song. filthyphillyboy got it.
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
ccr came after him …
ccr came after him so every ccr song is like this
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
obviously
obviously
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
No, every CCR song …
No, every CCR song is like this.
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Gives me chills …
Gives me chills everytime I hear it. Prooves that one chord is all you need to be the baddest of the bad.
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Yeah! “Run Through …
Yeah! “Run Through the Jungle” & ‘Green River”, & “Suzy Q” , especially. Might as well imitate the best, though. Dale Hawkins wrote “Suzy Q”, but you can hear “Smokestack Lighting” in it.
Yep, you got it.
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Plain and simple …
Plain and simple the Blues at its BEST…but there nothing plain about the Wolf and Smoke stack Lightning!
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
holy shit. this is …
holy shit. this is like every CCR song
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Everyone who wants …
Everyone who wants to know more about him should check out “The Howlin Wolf Story”.
Its a docu about his life, u can find it on isohunt.
It also explains what this song is about.
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
This track just …
This track just rocks my soul on so many levels.
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
cause i got to stop …
cause i got to stop leaving my youtube signed in and people going and posting stuff like that. i certaintly don’t remember that.
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
@pdenys Just …
@pdenys Just wondering, and not judging. Why are telling some one to shut up?
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
I love the he says, …
I love the he says, ‘who bit your baby little sister’.
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Pure greatness …
Pure greatness walked among us in this man, true to what he was, first and foremost a bluesman, Mr. Wolf will live on forever!!!
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Everything is so …
Everything is so incredibly right about this song –
everything is perfect. I could never get sick of this song. Howlin’ Wolf was amazing
March 24th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Wow! What a …
Wow! What a talented musician!! Brotha can sing his off with much emotion and attitude. He sound like he know what he’s talking about!