(Guest blogged by Bill Johnson-- is a professional music composer and producer in Los Angeles, CA)
“Howlin Wolf” was one of the famous bluesmen to burst on the scene in the early fifties on Chess records. Born in Mississippi, he was one of the blues artists who came up north and morphed his country sound into the Chicago electric sound (along with Muddy Waters). He was joined by guitarist Hubert Sumlin, whose spare playing complemented Wolf’s sound perfectly.
The Wolf’s powerful and gravelly voice stands out even today. Some of his famous hits (Spoonful, Red Rooster, Goin’ Down Slow, Smokestack Lightning) were recorded by the British and American blues/rock bands of the early ‘60’s, and they returned the favor with guest appearances on the 1971 record “Howlin’ Wolf London Sessions”.
