Howlin Wolf

Biography of Howlin' Wolf
by Dylan Hawkins (SHS)
Howlin' Wolf, born Chester Arthur Burnett, was born in White Station, near West Point, Mississippi, on June 10, 1910. He was one of six children in his family. He, along with his brothers and sisters, was raised on a plantation where his parents worked (Contemporary Musicians 111). When Wolf was a child, his grandfather told him stories of wolves in Mississippi. Once, something frightened him and he ran howling upstairs, which prompted his family to nickname him Howlin' Wolf. Wolf's father presented him with his first guitar when he was eighteeen. With the exception of the World War I years, during which Wolf served in the Army and was stationed at Seattle, Washington, he spent most of his adult life (until the age of 38) farming in Arkansas and Mississippi. It wasn't until his father's death in 1949 that he devoted himself entirely to the blues (Contemporary Musicians 113).
Throughout his young life Wolf had his pick of blues greats for mentors: Charlie Patton lived on a nearby plantation and taught Wolf much about showmanship. Sonny Boy Williamson married Wolf's stepsister and showed Wolf the ins and outs of the harmonica during the courtship. Wolf himself was married briefly to Willie Brown's sister. Wolf's childhood idol was singer Jimmie Rodgers, who was noted for his "blues-yodel." Wolf tried to emulate the yodel but found that his efforts sounded more like a growl or a howl. Wolf met legendary Delta blues singer Robert Johnson in Robinsonville, Mississippi, and they played together briefly. Shortly thereafter Johnson was poisoned by a jealous girlfriend or husband (Withers 59).
Wolf never read music. He would sit on a metal chair in the studio, wearing big horn-rimmed glasses, shirt open, crading a beat-up guitar, playing according to what sounded right to him. Typically, Wolf had to demonstrate what he wanted and run through it until his back-up players understood through sheer instinct.
After nearly a quarter century of remarkable performances throughout the U.S. and abroad, Howlin' Wolf died of complications arising from kidney disease on January 10, 1976, in Chicago hospital; he was sixty-five. He had sung the blues almost until the time of his death despite his illness; his last public appearance was with renowned guitarist B.B. King at the Chicago Amphitheater in November of 1975.

I just thought I would share a little know favorite Blues singer who was in my opinion one of the best for vocals and style. Chester Burnett aka the Howlin Wolf.
One morning on one of the ski trips I took this year I got up pretty damn early like always and turned on the TV and Time Life or Something had a whole biography rollin about the wolf and I was glued to the TV. You should give his voice a listen and I am sure if you like the blues you will like the Wolf!! ARRRRROOOOOOO!!