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Muddy Waters

Biography

Muddy Waters

Overview

  • Born
    April 4, 1913 · Issaquena County, Mississippi, USA
  • Died
    April 30, 1983 · Westmont, Illinois, USA (heart attack)
  • Birth name
    McKinley Morganfield
  • Nickname
    • The Father of Chicago Blues
  • Height
    5′ 9″ (1.75 m)

Mini bio

  • Muddy Waters (born McKinley Morganfield) was one of the major forces in contemporary blues. He was instrumental in bringing the sound of the Mississippi Delta to Chicago in the 1940s, where his recordings for the Chess label exerted an enormous influence on both blues and rock musicians from the mid-'50s to the present day. Muddy made his first recordings for the Library of Congress in the early 1940s, offering a style that was highly influenced by the legendary Robert Johnson. It was after World War II that Muddy, who had relocated to Chicago, began recording electric versions of his blues. Such well-known classics as "I Can't Be Satisfied", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Got My Mojo Workin'", "I Just Want To Make Love To You" and many more redefined the sound of blues for modern audiences. Over the years his band included such musicians as Otis Spann, Little Walter (aka Little Walter Jacobs), James Cotton, Junior Wells, Willie Dixon and numerous legends of the blues. He also inspired legions of young, white musicians to try their hand at the blues, including Mike Bloomfield, Johnny Winter, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Paul Butterfield, many of whom covered Muddy's music.
    - IMDb mini biography by: John B. Narucki <powerplaytv@compuserve.com>

Family

  • Spouses
      Marva Jean Brooks(June 5, 1979 - April 30, 1983) (his death)
      Sallie Ann Adams(December 23, 1942 - 19??) (divorced)
      Mabel Berry(November 20, 1932 - 1935) (divorced)
      Geneva Wade(19?? - 1973) (her death)
  • Children
      Mercy
      Joseph
      Rene
      Rosiland
      Big Bill Morganfield
  • Relatives
      Willie Morganfield(Cousin)

Trivia

  • He helped discover Chuck Berry.
  • His cousin is pastor and blues musician Willie Morganfield.
  • He was voted the 17th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist of all time by "Entertainment Weekly", being the oldest artist to be include on its list of 50 "immortals".
  • Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
  • Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 847-850. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.

Quotes

  • There was a time when I had the blues--I mean I really had it bad. I couldn't pay my light bill and I couldn't pay my rent and I really had the blues. But today I can pay my rent and I can pay the light bill and I still got the blues. So I must been born with 'em . . . That's my religion--the blues is my religion.

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