HOWLIN /// The real story of the blues

This is an old one but it is a good one. A wonderful documentary that has everybody that is anybody in the blues in it. Of course it has Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Memphis Slim, The Rolling Stones, Willie Dixon, Son House and many others.

R.I.P. Hubert Sumlin

R.I.P. Hubert Sumlin from the Houstonpress.com web site.

According to Houstonpress.com

​Hubert Sumlin, former guitarist with Howlin' Wolf and member of the Blues Hall of Fame is dead at the age of 80. Sumlin was ranked at number 65 in Rolling Stone's greatest guitar players of all time and has been cited as an influence on a wide range of blues and rock guitarists.

Hubert Sumlin @ SqueezeMyLemon

Smokestack Lightning

Wolf said the song was inspired by watching trains in the night: "We used to sit out in the country and see the trains go by, watch the sparks come out of the smokestack. That was smokestack lightning."

wikipedia

In the early to mid 1960s, it became a live staple of British beat groups, including The Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, The Animals,The Groundhogs and The Who as well as American groups, such as Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Electric Prunes, and The Wailers. The song has also been performed and/or recorded by Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Fenton Robinson, Lucky Peterson, John Lee Hooker, John Mayer, Bob Dylan, Soundgarden, Widespread Panic, Gov't Mule, Lester Butler, George Thorogood, Aerosmith, and Big Head Todd and the Monsters.

Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, John Mayer, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmie ...

Hubert Sumlin & David Johansen - Killing Floor

Wikipedia

"Killing Floor" is a song by American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Howlin' Wolf, featured on his 1966 album The Real Folk Blues. One of Wolf's best-known songs, "Killing Floor" has been covered by a wide variety of artists – including such high-profile acts as The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Eric Clapton and Led Zeppelin – and is frequently noticed as one of the most influential blues songs of all-time.
The Wolf's long time guitarist, Hubert Sumlin still performs this song. He played it with Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan and Robert Cray at The Crossroads Guitar Festival.

The song's title references the slaughtering area of a slaughterhouse. The name also features as the title of an action-adventure novel by Lee Child (Killing Floor); the connection is likely to have arisen from the main character Jack Reacher's search for blues guitarist Blind Blake and the apparent link in musical genres.

I shoulda quit you, long time ago.
I shoulda quit you, baby, long time ago.
I shoulda quit you, and went on to Mexico.
If I hada followed, my first mind.
If I hada followed, my first mind.
I'da been gone, since my second time.
I shoulda went on, when my friend come from Mexico at me.
I shoulda went on, when my friend come from Mexico at me.
I was foolin with ya baby, I let ya put me on the killin floor.
Lord knows, I shoulda been gone.
Lord knows, I shoulda been gone.
And I wouldn't've been here, down on the killin floor.

Hubert Sumline Videos: The man in his own words.

I've been meaning to post these forever. I could write a few words about this, but as you know I like to let the bluesmen speak for themselves. Enjoy!

Notes from Youtube: Blues legend Hubert Sumlin talks about his punishment as a child for getting into some devilment with his father. He reminisces about Howlin' Wolf, Robert Johnson, Robert Jr. Lockwood and Charley Patton and he gives "Seventh Hour Blues" editor, Anthony Sapienza, a guitar lesson. Featuring "Smokestack Lightnin'" and "Killing Floor". Filmed by Anthony Sapienza.




Interview #2 in the series w/ blues legend Hubert Sumlin for Guitar Center's King Of The Blues '07.



Interview #3 in the series w/ blues legend Hubert Sumlin for Guitar Center's King Of The Blues '07.

Hubert Sumlin - Live blues at Delta Fish market in Chicago

Here is an interesting video featuring among others Hubert Sumlin from YouTube. Check out the notes for full details.

Notes from YouTube;

The Delta Fish Market on Chicago's West Side was the site of live blues from the late 1970s until it closed in the mid 1990s. Owned by Oliver Davis (who was himself a fine guitarist in the Elmore James style), the market imported live catfish from Mississippi on a weekly basis, selling it to the many former Mississippians who'd relocated to the area.

On weekends in the warm months there were free, informal live blues sessions that started in the afternoon and went on until late at night on a stage set up in the large parking lot, often drawing an audience of hundreds of people from the surrounding neighborhood.

Most of the major names in Chicago blues played there over the years, mainly just for the fun of playing. This clip is from the film "Hubert Sumlin - Living The Blues", and features Hubert Sumlin, Eddie Taylor, Jimmy Rogers, Sam Lay and others. The harp player may be Bill Hickey. Also seen in the crowd are Otis "Big Smokey" Smothers and Abe "Little Smokey" Smothers.

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