Do you enjoy the blues? I enjoy the blues. A lot of hipster douches come into the store and act like “Oh, the blues are in now, I should get hip and start listening to the blues,” but they are easy to spot, because they only seem to ask about John Lee Hooker, and most of those questions are whether or not he sometimes went by the name Earl. Or, they just pick up a re-issue of King Of The Delta Blues Singers and call it a day. There’s no interest in exploring what is beneath the surface, no desire to seek out something that might actually take a tiny bit of research, or even blindly (no pun intended, even though there have been many blind bluesmen!) reaching for a record you don’t know about in the hopes that it will turn you onto a whole new sub-genre. No, I enjoy the blues because the first record I ever bought (Muddy & The Wolf) made me want to discover as much about the genre as I could. Until that moment I listened purely to rock music, Miles Davis and John Coltrane (to me, that was Jazz). You might even say that it was my personal discovery of the blues that lead me to begin opening my mind to any and all forms of musical expression. Plus, that gatefold photograph of Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf drinking Budweiser is one of the most bad-ass music photographs of all time.
So, now that I’m 25 years old and know everything there is to know about life and the blues, why don’t I go ahead and share my own list of the ten greatest bluesmen to ever stalk the earth? Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two from my list, or key me into something I might be missing. After all, that’s the point of these top ten lists. I list ten things and then you tell me what I have left off the list. Granted, when I write a list of ten fun things to shove up your girlfriend’s butt you might be hard pressed to find something I’ve left off the list, but pretty much any music-related list is wide open to criticism and reader support. Make your voice heard. If you think I’ve unjustly left anyone off the list, let me know.
Honorable Mention: Henry “Professor Longhair” Byrd, Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon, “Sleepy” John Estes, Elmore James, Robert Johnson, Huddie Leadbetter, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Blind Willie McTell, Charley Patton, Theodore Roosevelt “Hound Dog” Taylor, Muddy Waters, Bukka White, etc. etc.
10. Chester Arthur Burnett – Howlin’ Wolf (along with Muddy Waters) introduced me to the blues. Moanin’ In The Moonlight and …Sings The Blues are incredible, even if he wasn’t as technically proficient or lyrically brilliant as fellow Delta Bluesmen Robert Johnson. What he had that Johnson and many others lacked was his simple ability to rock out. His voice, undeniably, is one of the most amazing voices in the history of recorded music. This Is Howlin’ Wolf’s New Album and his London Sessions are both mildly overrated by many, but I still listen to and enjoy both. [Listen to “Evil”, composed by Willie Dixon]
09. Junior Wells – I think “Hoodoo Blues Man” is another one of those hyperbolic “best blues songs of all time,” but — then again — what the fuck do I know? Wells was a Chicago bluesman, which stands in stark contrast to the majority of this list, which includes mostly Delta and one or two Texas bluesmen. He played with everyone from Muddy Waters to Buddy Guy to the Rolling Stones. His vocal style kicked ass, he played a mean harmonica, and he looked like a genuine bad ass. What more do you want?
08. Skip James – Again, an immense talent with a voice that could bring you to tears or scare the shit out of you. In fact, I think “Devil Got My Woman” might be my favorite blues song of all time. That might just be a bold declaration without my having given it too much thought, but it definitely stands out as one of my favorite songs. The blues in general have a tendency to reach for your guts, but I implore you to find a more gut-wrenching musician and singer than James. [Listen to “Devil’s Got My Woman”]
07. John Lee Hooker – Of course he makes the list. He was, like, the first drone artist in America. He wrote one-note tunes that, again, bored a hole straight to your guts. He also wrote, “Boogie Chillen” which is one of the highlights of the genre. Zeppelin couldn’t outdo it, Van Morrison couldn’t do it, ZZ Top couldn’t do it, for some reason the White Stripes tried to do it but they suck harder than a broke crack whore, so it’s not even worth a comparison. Travelin’ and I’m John Lee Hooker are must-owns. [Listen to “Whiskey And Wimmen”]
06. Blind Willie Johnson – Sweet, sweet spiritual blues. Johnson plays the meanest slide guitar I’ve ever heard. Fuck me, “Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground,” is such a beautiful song. He wasn’t born blind, but you would have to be blind to overlook how wonderful his music is. [Listen To “Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground”]
05. Eddie “Son” House – Super intense. Direct influence on Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. His rhythms were driving, his guitar playing superb, and his vocals pained. An ungodly talent and a truly tortured soul who inspired some of the greatest names ever associated with the blues. [Listen to “Preachin’ Blues”]
04. Mississippi John Hurt – In the late ’20s he was closely affiliated with the Piedmont style of blues, but then he was rediscovered in the ’60s by folk-blues enthusiasts and his career had a bit of a resurgence. He stands in stark contrast to many of the names on this list due to his excessive gentleness. His guitar skills were refined, his vocals were warm and inviting. [Listen to “Avalon Blues”]
03. Dave “Honeyboy” Edwards – Dude was there on the night that Robert Johnson drank the poisoned whiskey that took his life, and he’s still alive and still touring. How amazing is that? I saw him this year at a blues club in the valley and, I swear to God, he took my breath away. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life to see one of the original delta bluesmen perform, and something that I’ll carry with me forever as a historical event I was able to witness.
02. Reverend “Blind” Gary Davis – Thought you might describe his ragtime/Piedmonnt guitar playing as goofy or outdated, I actually really enjoy it! So many of his songs are astounding (“Death Don’t Have No Mercy,” “I Am The Light Of This World,” “Bad Company Brought Me Here”) and his guitar skills are unparalleled. In the 1920s, he was simply the most talented of the gospel/ragtime blues musicians. His songs still stand as some of the most important and inspiring bluesmen. Bob Dylan cites him as one of his biggest influences. Then again, Bob Dylan sucks so maybe that hurts my argument more than it strengthens it. [Listen to “Death Don’t Have No Mercy”]
01. Sam “Lightnin’ Hopkins – My favorite. I own more Sam Hopkins records than any other bluesman, and they’re just perfect for spinning when I feel like I want to drink myself to death. It’s estimated that he recorded close to 1,000 songs, and I’m pretty sure none of them suck. Well, none of the one’s I’ve ever heard suck. His style was such that he effectively played bass, rhythm, lead, percussion, and sang all at the same time. If any one of us tried that we’d probably shit our pants and die. Oh, and if you haven’t heard his album Free Form Patterns, where his backing band is the rhythm section of 13th Floor Elevators, you haven’t heard how wonderfully country the band can sound. Lightnin’ wins. He’s not a shocking choice for number one, but it’s the right choice. [Listen to “Baby Child”]
