Portrait of Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters

Origin: Rolling Fork, Mississippi, USA Years: April 4, 1913 - April 30, 1983

Muddy Waters, born McKinley Morganfield, was an American blues musician widely considered the father of modern Chicago blues. A guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Waters transformed the rural Delta blues of his Mississippi youth into the amplified urban sound that defined the Chicago blues style from the late 1940s through the 1960s. His recordings for Chess Records from 1947 to 1975, including classic tracks like 'Hoochie Coochie Man,' 'Mannish Boy,' and 'I Just Want to Make Love to You,' became essential repertoire for blues and rock musicians. A Grammy Hall of Fame inductee and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Waters influenced countless artists including The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix, making him one of the most important figures in American music history.

Chicago BluesElectric BluesDelta BluesBluesBlues RockR&BUrban Blues

Discography Overview

During his recording career from 1941 to 1983, Waters released over 200 songs across various labels, with over 100 recorded for Chess Records from 1947 to 1975. His Chess Records catalog produced seminal blues tracks like 'Hoochie Coochie Man' (1954), 'Mannish Boy' (1955), 'I Just Want to Make Love to You' (1954), and 'Got My Mojo Working' (1957), which became blues standards and were covered by countless artists. His album 'Hard Again' (1977) marked a successful comeback, winning the Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording. Posthumously, 'Hoochie Coochie Man' was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. His recordings have sold over 15 million copies worldwide.

Key Albums

  • The Best of Muddy Waters (1958)
  • Muddy Waters at Newport (1960)
  • Electric Mud (1968)
  • After the Rain (1969)
  • Hard Again (1977)
  • I'm Ready (1978)

Key Songs

  • Hoochie Coochie Man
  • Mannish Boy
  • I Just Want to Make Love to You
  • I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man
  • Rollin' Stone
  • Got My Mojo Working
  • Baby Please Don't Go
  • Trouble No More
  • I Can't Be Satisfied
  • Forty Days and Forty Nights
  • She's Nineteen Years Old
  • Champagne and Reefer

Career Timeline

  1. 1930s Began performing at local juke joints and house parties in Mississippi Delta region; learned guitar from Son House
  2. 1941 Recorded first tracks for Alan Lomax and Library of Congress; discovered by folk music researchers
  3. 1943 Moved to Chicago; began playing electric guitar and developing Chicago blues sound
  4. 1946 Signed with Aristocrat Records (later Chess Records); made first recordings
  5. 1947 Released first single 'Gonna Fool Around' on Aristocrat Records; early electric blues recordings
  6. 1948 Released 'I Can't Be Satisfied' and 'I Feel Like Going Home'; breakthrough hits
  7. 1950 Formed backup band featuring Little Walter on harmonica, Jimmy Rogers on guitar, and Elgin Evans on drums
  8. 1954 Released 'Hoochie Coochie Man' and 'I Just Want to Make Love to You'; signature hits that defined Chicago blues
  9. 1955 Released 'Mannish Boy' and 'Trouble No More'; continued chart success
  10. 1957 Released 'Got My Mojo Working'; became live performance anthem
  11. 1960 Released 'Muddy Waters at Newport' live album; appeared at Newport Folk Festival
  12. 1964 European tour; helped popularize Chicago blues internationally
  13. 1968 Released 'Electric Mud' album; experimented with psychedelic rock elements
  14. 1972 Left Chess Records; signed with Blue Sky Records
  15. 1977 Released 'Hard Again' with Johnny Winter; Grammy Award winner
  16. 1978 Released 'I'm Ready'; continued successful collaboration with Johnny Winter
  17. 1983 Died from heart failure in Westmont, Illinois at age 70; performed until shortly before death
  18. 1987 Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
  19. 1999 'Hoochie Coochie Man' inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame

Influence Graph

How Muddy Waters sits in the influence chain

Influenced by

  • Son House
  • Robert Johnson
  • Big Joe Williams
  • Charley Patton
  • T Bone Walker

Influenced

  • The Rolling Stones
  • Eric Clapton
  • Led Zeppelin
  • The Doors
  • The Allman Brothers Band
  • Creedence Clearwater Revival
  • Jimi Hendrix
  • Steve Ray Vaughan

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