Smile At Me Howlin’ Wolf

Howlin' Wolf

The Late, Great Howlin’ Wolf. Click the image for more of his groundbreaking blues music.

Outspoken blues legend Howlin’ Wolf sings a powerful original during his appearance at the 1970 Washington D. C. Blues Festival. Wolf first recorded this song about being mistreated by a woman (one of his favored topics) for Chess Records on December 18th 1951.

This live performance filmed in November 1970 features Howlin’ Wolf (vocals), Sunnyland Slim (piano), Hubert Sumlin (guitar), and Randy Joe Fullerton (bass).

Howlin’ Wolf was a musical giant in every way. He stood 6’ 3″, wore size 16 shoes, had skin so dark it shined like silver, and poured out his darkest sorrows in a rough gravely voice. Half a century after his first hits, Wolf’s sound still terrifies and inspires. It is of little wonder why Sam Phillips who also discovered Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis, referred to Howlin’ Wolf as his greatest discovery. Several of his songs, such as Smokestack Lightnin’, Back Door Man, Killing Floor and Spoonful have become blues and blues rock standards. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 51 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.


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