Can't Be Satisfied (69 page)
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Authors: Robert Gordon
van Singel, Amy, Jim O’Neal, and Dave Loebel. “Howlin’ Wolf.”
Living Blues
1 (spring 1970): 13–17.
Voce, Frank. “Jimmy Rogers: We Started Hanging Around Together.”
Blues Unlimited
5 (N.d.): 5–7.
———. Article. N.p., n.d.
von Lehmden, Mark. “Muddy Waters’ Winter of Content.”
Rolling Stone
239 (May 19, 1977): 27–28.
Walters, David, Laurence Garman, and John Matthews. “Jimmy Rogers.” N.p., n.d., 17–18.
Wardlow, Gayle Dean. “Henry Sims.”
78 Quarterly
9 (N.d.): 11–19.
Welding, Pete. “Afro Mud: A Personalized History of the Blues.”
Down Beat
42 (February 27, 1975): 17–18, 34, 36.
———. “Howling Wolf.”
Down Beat
(December 14, 1967): 20–23.
———. Interview with Johnny Shines.
Living Blues
22 (July / August 1975): 24.
———. “An Interview with Muddy Waters.”
American Folk Music Occasional
2 (1970): 2–7.
———. “Last King of the South Side?”
Down Beat
31 n27 (October 8, 1964): 18–19, 42. Reprint,
Down Beat
61 n2 (February
1994): 32–35.
———. Liner notes to
Chicago Blues: The Beginning.
USA: Testament T-2207 (N.d.).
———. “Muddy Waters.”
Rolling Stone
(November 9, 1968): 10–11, 22.
———. “Muddy Waters: An American Original.”
Guitar World
(March 1982): 81–82.
———. “Muddy Waters — Folk Singer.”
Down Beat
(May 9, 1964).
———. “Muddy Waters, the Troubador, Los Angeles.”
Down Beat
34 (1967): 24–25.
———. “The Real Folk Blues.”
Down Beat
(October 22, 1964).
Wenner, Jann. “A Letter from the Editor.”
Rolling Stone
1 (November 9, 1967): 2.
Wheeler, Tom. “Waters–Winter Interview.”
Guitar Player
17 n8 (August 1983): 58–62.
Whiteis, David. “Sammy Lawhorn.”
Living Blues
95 (January / February 1991): 47–49.
Wilmer, Val. “Little Walter Blows In.”
Jazz Beat
(October 1964): 14–15.
———. “The First Time I Met the Blues.”
Mojo
(N.d.): 84–94.
Wisner, Steve. “Mojo Buford.”
Living Blues
42 (January / February 1979): 22–27.
———. “Sunnyland Charles and the Globetrotters.”
Living Blues
38 (May / June 1978): 27–30.
Wolfe, Charles. “Where the Blues Is At.”
Popular Music and Society
1 (1971–1972).
“Year of Jubilee.”
Time
(May 12, 1941): 92.
N
EWSPAPERS
Boston Herald Traveler,
March 19, 1971.
Boston Phoenix,
March 23, 1971; May 10, 1983.
Chicago Daily News,
June 1967.
Chicago Defender,
March 26, 1955.
Clarion-Ledger,
May 4, 1983.
Des Moines Tribune,
September 23, 1981.
Illinois Entertainer,
May 1981.
Los Angeles Times,
May 1983; December 3, 1989.
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
September 21, 1981; June 9, 1997.
New York Times,
December 21, 1972; April 1, 1981; May 1, 1983; April 23, 1988.
Philadelphia Inquirer,
May 5, 1983.
San Francisco Examiner,
May 2, 1972.
Tri-State Defender,
1961.
Village Voice,
December 8, 1966.
Washington Post,
September 24, 1971.
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
A band mate of Muddy’s, in an early interview for this book, shared this advice from Muddy: “If you don’t want someone to know what you’re thinking, keep it in your
pocket.” Muddy was dead nearly fifteen years when I began this book, and I am indebted to those who, in his lifetime, rattled Muddy’s pocket. I thank those writers who published their
information, Muddy’s friends and family for opening themselves to me in interviews, and Muddy’s band mates, who allowed me to repeatedly interrupt their lives, were frank and
forthcoming, and shared their photographs and memorabilia with me.
Researching this book was a race against time. Nearly all the intimate friends from Muddy’s early days in Mississippi and Chicago had passed away before I began my quest. Jimmy Rogers was
still alive and, through the good reputation of Dick Shurman, Jimmy welcomed me into his South Side home. As daylight slipped away for evening, I drifted with Jimmy’s casual and detailed
recollection. The shock of his death six months later, followed shortly by the passing of Junior Wells, fueled my desire to find Muddy’s family and friends.
Much of the research that supports this book comes from
Living Blues
magazine, which, since 1970, has run long and unexpurgated interviews with members of the blues community. I’d
like to acknowledge the magazine’s foresight and contribution by listing the founding editors, as noted in their first issue: Jim O’Neal, Amy van Singel, Diane Allmen, Paul Garon, Bruce
Iglauer, Andre Souffront, and Tim Zorn.
Even before I began this book, I enjoyed the warmth of Peter Guralnick’s friendship. He has given me advice and good counsel, helping me through not just this book but also the
writer’s wending path. Mentor, yes, but more importantly, friend.
From the time I began this book, I received encouragement from Dick Shurman, Jim O’Neal, and Mary Katherine Aldin. Their support was unflagging and essential to whatever I may have
accomplished. Additionally, Dick Shurman helped me navigate Chicago, and his introductions around town always yielded a warm welcome and a new friend.
Over the course of this book, I benefitted from the research and efforts of several assistants and friends: Lisa Roy, Brad Cawn, Torrie Arnold (who saw a bear), Abe Gaustad, Vanessa Roberson,
Melissa Dunn, Scott Bomar, and Andria Lisle. Many times, writers working on related topics get competitive, creating an atmosphere
where everyone suffers, especially the
reader. I encountered generous collaborators, however, among them Nadine Cohodas, author of
Spinning Blues
into Gold: The Chess Brothers and the Legendary Chess Records,
and Tony
Glover, Scott Dirks, and Ward Gaines, authors of the forthcoming
Blues with a Feeling: The
Little Walter Story.
We all benefitted from sharing information.
My sense of Muddy’s story was sharpened by my collaboration with filmmaker Morgan Neville. Check out our Muddy Waters documentary,
Muddy Waters Can’t Be Satisfied,
available
on home video through Wellspring (www.wellspringvideo.com).
My manuscript had traveled many miles by the time it found its way to Geoff Shandler, my editor. Geoff intuitively grasped the essential story and deftly foregrounded it. He made my writing
better. I only got to him because of Michael Pietsch, who enlisted me in this expedition and then let me proceed at my own pace. Liz Nagle alerted me to the twists and turns of Little,
Brown’s process, guiding me with grace even when I resisted. Karen Landry, copyeditor, sharpened my work and remained good-natured through a difficult process. Thanks to all at Little, Brown.
Hosannas to my agent, Dick McDonough, for taking care of business.
This book was improved by the suggestions of its readers through its various incarnations: Joy Allen, Robert Duffy, Jim and Mary Lindsay Dickinson, Alex Greene, Chip Rossetti, Adam Miller, Ross
Johnson, Jeff Talman, Zachary Lazar, Elaine Gordon, Dick Shurman, Peter Wolf, and my wife, Tara McAdams.
The loan of tapes and transcripts sharpened and intensified my vision of Muddy’s world. Several people shared their personal interview tapes with me: Peter Guralnick, John Brisbin, Paul
Trynka, Jas Obrecht, Robert A. Messinger and Andy Allu, Larry Lasker, and Howard Stovall.
In Memphis and Mississippi, I’d like to thank Robert Morganfield, drummer / librarian Ross “Baron of Love” Johnson, Lauren Johnson, Lula O’Neal, Bruce and Sylvia
Feldbaum, Meredith Carter, Rick Ireland and Mary Heffernan, Knox Phillips, Shelly Ritter, Scott Barretta, Tom Freeland and the T-list, Panny Mayfield, Monsieur Jeffrey Evans, Ed Porter, the Waltons
and the staff of Computer-lab, and Harry’s Kwik Check on Madison. At Stovall: Howard and Gil Stovall, Nancy Stovall, Norma Weiland, Pete Hunter, Linda Donnelly, Manuel Jackson Jr., Magnolia
Hunter, and Mary Emerson. At the Memphis / Shelby County Public Library: Libby Carroll, Nathan Tipton and everyone else at the Arts Department, and Jimmy Johnson, Patricia LaPointe, and the History
Department staff.
In Chicago: Angela Rogers, Bobby Stovall, Dave Waldman, Steve Cushing (Does your public radio carry his “Blues Before Sunrise” show?), Tom Heimdal, Heather West, Jimmie Lee Robinson,
Michael Frank, Tom Radai, D. Thomas Moon, David Whiteis, Sho, Billy Flynn, Buddy Guy’s Legends Club, and the hospitality and friendship of Belinda and Tim Gordon, and Ian and Nadine
Schneller.
In London: Val Wilmer, Paul Trynka, Cilla and Mick Huggins at
Juke Blues,
Sylvia Pitcher and Frank Weston, Chris Barber, Mike Evans and the Chelsea Arts Club, Tim Tooher, Tasha Lee,
Mike and Ski and Bob in Ray’s Blues Basement, Jim Irvin, Mat Snow, Keith Briggs and Tony Burke at
Blues and Rhythm,
Joe Boyd, Bruce Bastin, Paul Oliver, Paul Jones, Charles Shaar
Murray, Neil Slaven, Tony Russell, Harold and Barbara Pendleton, and the ever-resourceful Alan Balfour.
Guitar consultation: Doug Easley, Stefan Grossman, Trey Harrison, and Jas
Obrecht. The discographers: Phil Wight, Fred Rothwell, Les Fancourt, Chris Smith, Howard Rye, and
Bill Rowe.
Continued inspiration: James Luther Dickinson.
In memoriam: Townes Van Zandt, Jeff Buckley, Randall Lyon.
I could not have created this book without the following people and organizations, to whom I express great thanks: The Corporation of Yaddo; Judith Gray, Joe Hickerson, and Sam Brylauski at the
Library of Congress; Jeff Place at the Smithsonian Institution; Beth Howse at the Fisk Archives; Matt Barton and Anna Lomax Chairetakis at the Lomax Archives; Bruce Nemerov and Mayo Taylor at the
Center for the Study of Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State University; Jeff Rosen; Jane Rose; Steve Berkowitz; John Work IV; Sebastian Danchin; Guido van Rijn; John Bredar and family; Bob
Margolin; Scott Cameron and Nancy Meyer at the estate of McKinley Morganfield; Levon Helm; Butch Dener; Andy McKaie at Chess / MCA / Universal; Ryan Null at Universal; Joy Graeme; Kip Lornell;
Nolan Porterfield; Axel Kustner; Davia Nelson; Mike Kappus; Willie Strandberg; and Chris Bourke at the New Zealand desk.
This project took a long time. My wife, Tara McAdams, came through the mud with me, writing with me, advising me, caring for me, covering for me. Thank you, with love.
NDEX
ABC Booking,
ref1
Abrahamson, Terry,
ref1
,
ref2
,
ref3
,
ref4
Abram, Goldie B.,
ref1
accordions,
ref1
Ace of Cups,
ref1
Ada’s Lounge,
ref1
Adins, Georges,
ref1
African Americans: in Chicago,
ref1
,
ref2
;
Chicago Defender,
ref1
,
ref2
,
ref3
; curfews for,
ref1
; Great Migration and,
ref1
,
ref2
,
ref3
; in Mississippi Delta,
ref1
,
ref2
; music of,
ref1
,
ref2
; race records,
ref1
,
ref2
;
radio programming and,
ref1
,
ref2
Afro-American Blues and Game Songs
(album)
ref1
After the Rain
(album)
ref1
,
ref2
,
ref3
Agee, James,
ref1
“Ain’t It a Shame,”
ref1
Alexenburg, Ron,
ref1
Allman Brothers,
ref1
All Platinum Records,
ref1
,
ref2
,
ref3
All-Star Blues Band,
ref1
American Federation of Musicians,
ref1
,
ref2
,
ref3
,
ref4
American Folk Blues Festival,
ref1
,
ref2
American Negro Songs
(Work)
ref1
Anderson, Anne,
ref1
Anderson, Annie Mae,
ref1
Anderson, Lois,
ref1
,
ref2
,
ref3
,
ref4
Animals,
ref1
Antone, Clifford,
ref1
Apollo Records,
ref1
Archia, Tom,
ref1
Archive of American Song,
ref1
Arc Music,
ref1
,
ref2
,
ref3
,
ref4
,
ref5
,
ref6
,
ref7
,
ref8
,
ref9
,
ref10
The Aristocrat of the Blues
(album)
ref1
Aristocrat Records,
ref1
,
ref2
,
ref3
,
ref4
,
ref5
,
ref6
,
ref7
,
ref8
Armstrong, Henry,
ref1
Armstrong, Louis,
ref1
Arnold, Billy Boy,
ref1
,
ref2
,
ref3
,
ref4
,
ref5
,
ref6
,
ref7
,
ref8
,
ref9
,
ref10
