Howlin' Wolf

Howlin' Wolf, born Chester Arthur Burnett in 1910 on a Mississippi plantation, was one of the towering voices of postwar Chicago blues. He absorbed the Delta blues tradition directly from Charley Patton, and took his distinctive vocal howl from country singer Jimmie Rodgers's blue yodel, forging a sound unlike anyone else's. His massive frame and ferocious stage presence made him a magnetic performer whose raw, guttural delivery became a genre unto itself.

After early recordings for Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, Wolf relocated to Chicago in the 1950s and signed with Chess Records, where he cut the songs that define his legacy: «Smokestack Lightning», «Killing Floor», «Spoonful», «Little Red Rooster», «Back Door Man» and «Wang Dang Doodle», many written with bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon. These recordings paired Wolf's thunderous voice with sharp, electrified Chicago blues arrangements.

Wolf's influence on rock music was immense; The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and countless others drew directly from his catalogue and style. He remains one of the essential figures bridging Delta blues and the electric blues that shaped rock and roll.