Howlin' Wolf is known for his songs that penetrate the heart like fog at dawn, mesmerizing the entire body. This is how fans of the talent of Chester Arthur Burnett (real name of the artist) described their own feelings. He was also a famous guitarist, musician and songwriter.
Childhood Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf was born June 10, 1910 in Whites, Mississippi. The boy was born into a family that was engaged in farming. Gertrude after another pregnancy gave birth to a child, who was named Chester.
In the state where the family lived, the people worked on cotton plantations. Trains often traveled there, life went on as usual. There was a lot of sun, as well as work in the fields with cotton, a lot of moving. The family of the future singer and guitarist was no exception. When the boy was 13 years old, his parents decided to change their place of residence.
The city of Ruleville became a new haven for a large family. Chester was a difficult teenager. His musical experience was based on singing at a Baptist church, where he was taken to Sunday school on weekends. All holidays and events were held with the participation of Chester. He sang beautifully and did not hesitate to go on stage.
When the guy turned 18, his father gave him a guitar. Then he did not put any sense into this gift, did not think that his son had a great future. During this period of time, by a happy coincidence, Chester met Charlie Patton, who was the "father" of the blues.
Musical career
From the moment you met the musician, you can count the beginning of Howlin' Wolfe's creative career. Every evening after work, Chester visited his mentor in order to learn something new. In an interview, the musician recalled that Charlie Patton instilled in him not only musical taste and style, but also many skills and abilities.
Thanks to fruitful cooperation, he became what we knew him to be. The basics of the delta blues style have become fundamental in the work of the musician. Chester adopted from his guru the behavior on stage - crawling on his knees, jumping, falling on his back and uterine howls. These actions impressed the audience so much that they became the "chip" of the performer. He learned how to create a show for the public, and she perceived the performance with gratitude and delight.
Howlin' Wolf: New Features
Chester's career began with performances in local restaurants and eateries. In 1933, the family of farmers once again changed their place of residence in search of a better life. It was difficult for the Americans, everyone was looking for opportunities to earn money and feed their children.
So the guy ended up in Arkansas, where he met blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson. He taught Chester how to play the harmonica. Each new meeting gave the young man new opportunities. It seems that this guy was loved by God. No wonder he attended church on Sundays, he believed in a brighter future. At that time, almost every American dreamed of getting out of the current situation in the country, worked hard, trying to feed his family with labor.
After some time, the men decided to perform together and even became related. Williamson married Mary (Chester's half-sister). The musicians traveled along the Delta together. The audience of young performers was bar regulars, but this was only at first.
Personal life
When the guys united and traveled around the country together, Chester managed to get married a second time. He has always been popular with the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity. The young man had no complexes. He was handsome: 6 inches tall, weighing 300 pounds.
The handsome guy did not have good manners, he behaved cheekily in companies, therefore he remained in the spotlight. Perhaps, as Chester Arthur Burnett said, the demeanor was influenced by a difficult childhood or a lack of attention. After all, the boy's parents were constantly busy with the problem of earning money in order to feed a large family. The singer was also not shy in front of women. Some were even afraid of his "wild" temper.
The beginning of a successful career as an artist Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett found success and recognition in the late 1950s with the release of Moanin' in the Moonlight. The performer was recognized and asked for an autograph. A little later, he recorded the song The Red Rooster, which only increased his popularity. In 1980, the artist received an award at the Blues Hall of Fame Museum, and in 1999, a Grammy Award.
The stage name, which means "Howling Wolf", was not invented by the musician himself. The second album is also called Howlin' Wolf. The nickname was originally invented by Chester's grandfather, who promised to give the boy to the forest to the wolves for bad behavior. Such behavior of the older generation reveals the reason for the artist's personality type and sometimes inappropriate behavior.
Until the age of 40, the singer had no education. After 40 years, he returned to school, which he never finished as a child, to complete his secondary education. Then he attended business courses, additional training courses, trainings and seminars. He studied to be an accountant and successfully mastered this specialty in adulthood.
life sunset
Women played an important role in Howlin' Wolfe's life. The second wife helped her husband manage the finances. She insisted that Chester go to school.
With the advent of love in the life of the performer, his musical style also changed. For example, the album The Super Super Blues Band is filled with romantic notes, and is also more melodic than previous compilations.
Howlin' Wolf: End of Life
In 1973, the artist presented the last studio almanac, The Back Door Wolf. A US city tour followed, followed by European tours. But plans changed due to sudden health problems. The performer began to worry about the heart. The man periodically suffered from shortness of breath and pain in the heart. But the fast pace of life did not give the opportunity to be examined. In 1976, the singer died of heart failure.
