Howlin' Wolf -"Smokestack Lightning"

Feb
2
Submitted by webmaster on Tue, 02/02/2010 - 12:07

Howlin' Wolf -"Smokestack Lightning"

Posted by Radge1965
June 24, 2008

Video Description:
"Howlin' Wolf (with Willie Dixon and Hubert Sumlin) performs Smokestack Lightning. Live England 1964"

3 comments

webmaster
Tue, 2 February, 2010 - 18:16
More YouTube viewer comments from
 
 
Houdini116 (2 months ago) Can anyone recommend me any other old classic blues songs? Songs with groovy guitar riffs like this one. Thanks.
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andypierce13 (2 months ago) Try more Howlin' Wolf. You can't go wrong.
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Gandhisarmpit (2 months ago) @Houdini116
Muddy Waters does a better version of this song, you should check that out.
Try Robert Johnson, Bukka White, Son House and Charley Patton. Classics.
 
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Houdini116 (2 months ago) Thanks for the recommendations! I've really enjoyed figuring out some of that Bukka White stuff, the man knows how to play a good groove.
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J1mmyleef50 (2 months ago) This is great music!!!!!!!!!
Try these also:
 
Sonny Boy Williamson- Your Funeral and My trial
 
Buddy Guy- The First Time I met the blues
 
Albert King- As the years go Passiing Bye
 
Very good music, you can jam-out all night to this stuff
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hud42cdo (2 months ago) so good to see - days like these are days that please-stop your train now girl
 
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Rigerdaby (2 months ago) The only thing youtube should post are videos like these, he is the real thing.
 
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sloanetaytay (2 months ago) Blues is tip top BEST.
 
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MrSurfdog (2 months ago) A real bluesman..! thanks for the Video
 
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dolina64 (2 months ago) He puts all of his soul into this Who can do this today or even come close?
 
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toterola451 (2 months ago) That's easy: NOBODY.
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Jackieis60 (2 months ago) Halfway through this, he looks like he's suffering, so I thought I'd check out other versions, and none hold a candle to the Wolf. So I'm back and I'll watch this guy suffer for his music. He is amazing.
 
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juniorthejina (2 months ago) i got the blues this morning
 
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noamshouseparty (2 months ago) Cool
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Lfdjake91 (2 months ago) I love all those artists, especially the Allman Brothers.
 
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withoutremorse (2 months ago) The Allman brothers played a little blues, but Howlin' Wolf was doing it before they were born.
"Those artists" would include Muddy Waters, Son House, Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, Buddy Guy, Fred Below, J.L.H., Little Walter, Junior Wells, Big Walter, the three Kings, Elmore James, ect., but not the Allman Brothers Band.
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johnnyrebeltexas (2 months ago) heres some more artists that put all thier soul into their music: john lee hooker, howlin' wolf, muddy waters, johnny cash, waylon jennings, willie nelson, hank williams, hank jr, lynyrd skynyrd, the allman brothers band. theres many more but theres one common factor in these legends of american music: they all come from the south. ive heard it said many times "to be from the south is to have a whole lotta soul" i guess its true.
god bless dixie!
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MrRGanja (2 months ago) Rare to see such a nuanced and sensitive ensemble in popular music today. These guys are real musicians. Jam bands take note!
 
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Fuff63 (2 months ago) Man...give it up for the blues and soul of Howlin' Wolf . He, John Lee Hooker & Ray Charles (among some others)..speak for all of our ailing souls as humans. You gotta believe these guys REALLY knew adversity and heartache - you can't fake that. It really shows in their music. Timeless!
Thank you.
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alvie3 (2 months ago) What a treasure this footage is.
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Lfdjake91 (2 months ago) Great footage. Funny that a great artist like howlin' Wolf was virtually ignored by the white mainstream music scene here in America but he became a superstar w/ English blues fans in Britan.
 
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boogieste (2 months ago) I was at this particular concert - I think at the Festival Hall. Chris Barber had been largely responsible for bringing over Blues artists - showcasing them with his own band and at the NJF Festival - then in Richmond. I seem to remember thisconcert as being a two parter, with Dizzy Gillespie and other jazzers in one half, and the blues entourage in the other. What a night!
 
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qwerly45 (1 month ago) Blues was massive in the inner cities in Britain. The British invasion acts showed this in their music being more bluesy than rock n roll.
 
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oceanxcityxo (2 months ago) his voice is so raspy yet smooth. i just found out about him and the others from the movie cadillac records (unfortunately). this so much better than music today, it actually means something.
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monkeybone9696 (1 month ago) The Wolf was one of the baddest cats ever. God bless his soul.
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jviturbo (1 month ago) i am a white man... love the band....but where are the black people in the audience... signs of the times eh?
ya i'm a canuck
 
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sirdoug3 (1 month ago) lack of black people in the audience due to being taped in England - where at the time, black blues artists were more appreciated there (true of France also) than in the States!! -
 
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PoeticallyIlliterate (1 month ago) which is the only reason why the english came out with so many great bands. heh just think how stupid the music corp. giants of america felt when they let the biggest gold mine in the world walk over to england.
 
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lockness1980 (1 month ago) No... probably because he was in England. During this time Howlin could show up on the South Side of Chicago and tear the roof off with an all black audience.
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MrMustard12345 (1 month ago) This piece is all about attitude. What did she tell me? She got SASSY with me! ATTITUDE. Pure attitude. Love it.
 
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jltardiff (1 month ago) It is amazing how much response Howlin Wolf gets all these years after this performance. That says it all. God Bless his Soul, he is still playing to SRO crowds now, but in a higher place!!!!
 
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blueseruser (1 month ago) This man had more soul than any of his peers,
Through his music, he is immortal.........What a delivery........!!
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babygurl70011 (1 month ago) R.I.P. howling wolf !!!!!
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dwightbibbs (1 month ago) please keep this song on the play list for me its one of a kind
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youvexme (1 month ago) blues perfection - I click on this video at least once a week!
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tbong (1 month ago) WARNING: do not try and make that woo sound he makes in public, it's not as easy as it looks!
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BonzoTriplets (1 month ago) great to see two blues legends playing together!
 
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abacazabaca (1 month ago) Make that three blues legends! Wolf, Hubert and Dixon :)
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EricCirca6566 (1 month ago) WOW! That was something! The real deal! With a dream band.
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sdgullsfan (4 weeks ago) It Don't Get Any Better!!!!! The Greatest There Ever Was!!!
 
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boss12 (4 weeks ago) Man that Wolf gotta set of pipes on him. His voice is so soulful
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VeganaExPuta (3 weeks ago) In 1978, on the 10th of January, this fine, fine performer died. Thank goodness for recordings and even footage.
 
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drewthedrifter (3 weeks ago) Wolf passed on 10th January 1976. not 1978.
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InfamousTorture (2 weeks ago) Love That Song! Classic Chicago Blues!!! :P
 
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arkansoul (2 weeks ago) Boy, I bet if he was a deacon in church, the preacher wouldn't have to preach. He'd set the church on fire during devotion! This is the Blues, mane...
 
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smookbottom (2 weeks ago) The Wolf is sooo Good!
 
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urbanglow1 (2 weeks ago) A giant voice and figure ...I love the howl voice and how he made the hermonica sing..
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Mike2008and2008 (2 weeks ago) Music is the unspecified dynamic in all cultures. For now....it is MAGIK!
 
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Kisinkona (2 weeks ago) I miss Rhythm and blues...I hate Rap and Hip Hop with a passion. Wish they could bring this back.....just Love it!
 
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Coldacre (2 weeks ago)
@ Kisinkona; I'm in the same boat man. I'm 32 and have unfortunately grown up with hip/hop being the dominant music for black Americans. while I respect a handful of artists in that field (there's not many of them); you only have to look back to Howlin Wolf, Freddie King, T-Bone Walker, Screamin Jay Hawkins, BB King, Johnny Lee Hooker to hear REAL music. Oh.. and a bloke called Robert Johnson who's 75 year-old recordings still make the hair on the back of your neck stand up
 
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tweedlededee (2 weeks ago) grew up with these sounds......one day it was perry como on the radio, then we heard Howlin' Wolf....none of us ever looked back....go see Cadillac Records for the story....
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craigleithdavid (1 week ago)   stupendous. best tune and one of the best performances i ever saw by anyone ever
although the bass player looked a bit bored towards the end. could have been stood waiting for a bus by the look on his face
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973 (1 week ago) The bass player is Willie Dixon, one of the very best that ever was in the blues, and he probably had played this song a million times by then,and he was still rock solid.
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Khafre100 (1 week ago) classic howlin wolf< my grandad use to listen to this stuff when I was young! I like the Cadillac Records Wolf to!
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urgenc (2 days ago) Blues is the root of music.
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DivaLeo87 (2 days ago) Real music, raw talent...simply amazing.
 
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6t4eldo (1 day ago) so sad that we will NEVER hear blues like this or see performers like this again.
 
 
webmaster
Tue, 2 February, 2010 - 18:15

crazycal95 (4 months ago) We need videos like this on youtube to help form the next generation of great blues artists.

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crazydaysful (4 months ago) I Liked Cadillac Records movie.  Made me appreciate and want to find out about the artist of those days and more blues. Cadillac Records was good

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SmokestackOrchestra (4 months ago) I thought Cadillac Records needed more Wolf. That guy stole every scene he was in.

xblacklighterx (4 months ago) yeah he did! def needed more wolf!

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allaboard70 (4 months ago) The music from Chess Records was fantastic and they picked up so many fantastic artists - from Muddy Waters to Chuck Berry and later with Buddy Guy and Etta James and so on... Howlin' Wolf is forever great and will stay here all time with his smokin' blues!

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realmusic79 (4 months ago) the great big bad wolf!!!!!!!!!!!
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phishtrey (4 months ago) Gotta love the guy thumpin on the ol' standup next to him. GREAT vid!

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chvaky (4 months ago) That's Willie Dixon, the man behind all this. He wrote many songs performed by blues artists and has both recorded and performed live with them. He was the backbone of the blues. :)
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briemkiki827 (3 months ago) That my friend would be the one and only Willie Dixon.
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oyrakesh (4 months ago) OMG !! Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, BB King, Sonny Boy 2, JL Hooker. Pure Genius.
 
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Kyle2516 (4 months ago) Why are the lyrics different here, then in his recorded version of the song? I have the song on a best of album, and these aren't the exact lyrics in the song. Am i missing something?

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rmcnealy123 (4 months ago) Yeah, sometimes as in all live performances, lyrics and sounds do not always match studio recordings....

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klaptongroovemaster (4 months ago) There were often variations in blues songs, by different artists and by the same artists over time. They also often had the versions they would sing in clubs that they couldn't sing on TV in the 1960s.

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mcfarland2 (4 months ago) Spam it's blues, man. being a guitar player myself, when you play the blues it's very tempting to improvise, and when you do you feel things out that you might like later, so you just play it in the song next time, and it grows from there
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scottsoul64 (4 months ago) willie dixon on bass, best version ever
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Badmann63 (4 months ago) THE BIG BAD WOLF
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inesenthm (4 months ago) Easily by and far one of the best voices that this world has ever known, and without a doubt my favorite.
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garyhosty (4 months ago) This is wonderful - to see the great man perform...been enjoying his music for many years ; thanks for this...he was a force of nature.
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fairdathm (4 months ago) WOW... I've always loved both Howlin Wolf and this song... but of all the versions I've heard and loved, this is the most AMAZING. Sublime video, too! Thank you for posting!!

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DiamondSoul (3 months ago) Yeah this one's the best!
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Sconan42156 (3 months ago) Listening to this song is like going to church, least I suspect it is anyway.
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bobbygoesbig (3 months ago) so powerful!

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cbazz68 (3 months ago) The WOLF was a BEAST. True Blues. YOU HAVE TO LIVE IT TO SING IT.

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ThreeDaysOfPeace (3 months ago) Incredible artist
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kidgodless (3 months ago) the guy on standup behind him looks like willie dixon

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kingsfull666 (3 months ago) lol there is a reason for that

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PinkOld (3 months ago) Uh, that's because it IS Willie Dixon.
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jbreezy07 (3 months ago) thank heavens for the WOLF
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CarvinV3 (3 months ago) this is true music. steps all over the crap thats out today.
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MrCachorrillo (3 months ago) the wolf! the rest is conversation...
MisterPow13 (3 months ago) in what key is that harmonica?

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Honeysucklebommie (3 months ago) Sounds like a B flat mate.

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FunMan125 (3 months ago) Its a G harmonica played in D. I have one and I play along with him.
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Tray137 (3 months ago) Man, I got so excited when I saw the audience, a big crowd for the wolf. Unfortunately I didn't realize this was filmed in England. It's a shame, these men weren't accepted at home the way they were abroad. Muddy at Monterey, I wish they could see what they are now in America, fifty years later.
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RcUniverseGuy (3 months ago) i realize that they were bad back then to but not as bad they had alot more respect back then then now things have changed a lot

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SuperZeppelinFan (3 months ago) I agree RcUniverse...

I respect these musicians because they are actually musicians...
Not like today... these guys bouncing on stage (mostly it takes 6 of them) holding up their pants and singing about slapping their whores around...
that's is not music... that is just garbage.

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dimondgyal876 (3 months ago) i agree with you. even though I'm young,i know what good music is. Ever since Cadillac Records came out, I've been on google finding out more about Chuck Berry,Etta James,Willi Dixon,Little Walter etc. I LUV THESE PEOPLE truly,these people sing good music. Unlike the garbage they play today.

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purpoguh87 (3 months ago) but we still have great music that's underground....you just have to look in the right places...my grandmother was a jazz/blues singer...and I wanted to follow her footsteps badly....I'm 22 years old, I don't like that rap crap (not to be confused with real hip-hop), not all of us like that mainstream music, it's just as bad as pop and all that junk.
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UKRod (2 months ago) Awesome voice, no mistaking Howling Wolf was there?! Sadly missed, he would have been 100 years old in June 2010 - maybe the US will put him on a postage stamp? Seriously, this is classic blues, without listening to this track back then, I never would have got into the blues back in the early 60s. This is a nice, smooth version, without Hubert Sumlin's rasping guitar, and thanks very much for uploading it, Radge.

 

webmaster
Tue, 2 February, 2010 - 18:12
Selected YouTube viewer comments from:
(1-500 of 672 as of 12:00 pm 2/3/2010)

flimbambo (8 months ago) Wow. All my hero bands covered this but it doesn't sound as good as the Wolf. Great showman too.

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humidor3 (8 months ago) Saaweeeeet
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Jarmo60 (8 months ago) The one and only.........Howlin´Wolf

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chess1458 (8 months ago) The Wolf Is Howlin At Your Door,A True Legend

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beebopbeedoobi (8 months ago) This made my day, thank you so much for posting it.
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marhomist (8 months ago) Unbelieveble Howlin'Wolf-Real Bluesman,Real Artist,Real King of rhythm'n'blues!

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cordedpoodle (8 months ago) That backwards beat. Delicious. Very few can do it.

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DaleMcMutt (7 months ago) One of the greatest blues musicians ever to live.
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OzBros (7 months ago) Pure awesomeness!
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mrgoodvibrations (7 months ago) WOW! Howlin Wolf, Willie Dixon, and Hubert Sumlin all legends in their own rite, Thank 4 sharing!!!
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typemonger (7 months ago) Now that's music!
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tallcoolslovak (7 months ago) The best of the best....nuff said!
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crayhead (7 months ago)  Most distinct blues voice of all time...You were the man Chester!!!!
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halloweenfiend666 (7 months ago) Good quality, with Willie Dixon and Hubert Sumlin... pretty awesome.

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samaritaDeath (7 months ago) BRILLIANT, BRILLIANT, GREAT! I´ve always loved him, this is one of my favorites. Never heard the live version before tho.

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katsan88 (7 months ago) pam OH MY GOSH HE is amazing, I feel what he is singing!!
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msmthurman08 (7 months ago) they don't make music like this anymore.
These were the good ole days.

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djeondj (7 months ago) ohhh and nobody has those voices !
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luverlything (7 months ago) Wow!! Saw The Wolf at the Speakeasy club in London in 68 or 69 ....it's a long time ago, he was amazing!! One of the greatest blues singers ever, had a good chat up line too, ha ha happy memories!

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tabithaedwards7 (7 months ago) grooviest sound of all time i love it.has anyone seen r and b it's been missing since 1975.

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daneslav (7 months ago) Can you imagine learning your trade from the likes of Charlie Patton and Son House? Amazing.
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evangelionale (6 months ago) wow what a voice
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itslikeframingapear (6 months ago) yeah great voice, and physical presence. Look at the size of his hands, you would'nt mess with him.
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SCOTCHSOLACE (6 months ago) Incredible - I don't know what else to say! Howlin' Wolf is so imposing - so incredibly skilled at making the music come alive. Thank you Radge1965
for posting this, it is a treasure for all time!!!!
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NSJMculture (6 months ago) One of the greatest blues musicians ever to live
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gruveb (6 months ago) The more I listen to Howlin' Wolf the more I love him. RIP

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pegoossens (6 months ago) like they said in the movie

he was the big bad wolf
pitty there's no clips on here of him actually getting down on all fours a howlin and throwing a fit
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TheToneKnob (6 months ago) That harp looks tiny in his hands.

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snertster (6 months ago) Wolf was the real deal.
TheSunRecords (6 months ago) The one and only: Howlin Wolf and hisgreat bluesband.This is the Wolf.And this is bluesmusic.
I got the blues.Or the blues got me.Forever.
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iseamas (6 months ago) I only wish there were more shots of his guitar player, Hubert Sumlin. One of the really true and original greats of the blues. So many of his riffs were taken verbatim by later players.
FloormanofAlabama (6 months ago) Hurbert said he put the pick down,
and found his sound with Wolfy
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greenmean1 (4 months ago) I met him in 2002 at Pick & Save grocery store while shopping, I spoke to him and fumbled over words of praise for his playing, he smiled and shook my hand and wanted to talk more but i was nervous so i bid good bye and left, Mr. Sumlin is a very nice and gracious man.

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FloormanofAlabama (4 months ago) Thats really cool i would love to meet him in person!
Hes my idol

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Mounhas (6 months ago) What a performance. 45 years later still sounds so good.

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neverrust1 (6 months ago) This dude is bigger than life!!!Watch Howlin Wolf , The secret history of rock and roll. Just flat out awesome!

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FloormanofAlabama (6 months ago) None of us can serve this the deserved justice by typing
a few words, this music is un real almost super human
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nidgetucker (5 months ago) Man he is such a class act long live the blues
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daownus (5 months ago) lolol he got a voice like a wolf!
Good song...

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Aroma2 (5 months ago) haunting voice

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teoJFT96 (5 months ago) Love this song and this guy!
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DiamondSoul (5 months ago) Anyone know what key that harp is in?

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machinegunvargas (5 months ago) It's a G harp

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DiamondSoul (5 months ago) Thank you!
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TupeloGum (5 months ago) I thought Wolf wrote Smokestack Lightnin, but might be wrong.

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johntcolo (5 months ago) You are RIGHT, he wrote this one
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ThePsychoReturns (5 months ago) Check out the dude on the bass.
He knows he's cool.

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irgifted (5 months ago) That's because... Science Fact: All bass players are cool!

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TexasMist (5 months ago)  The dude on bass is Willie Dixon. Google him. Wrote a few songs you may have heard from other artists, like Whole Lotta Love for one....

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kaguvi777 (5 months ago) I just Love the Blues!

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stevebeagle (5 months ago) Willie Dixon is a God
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iclypso (5 months ago) Wow, Howlin' Wolf and Willie Dixon on the same stage. What a treat. Thank you for posting this. Chester goes from walking on stage to dripping with sweat in about 30 seconds. That's getting involved in your craft x 10.
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CREOLESUGAR (5 months ago) This is the best of the best!!
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Raymantico (5 months ago) first blues I ever heard live was the Wolf at Newport Folk Festival

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joeXeffingXcocker (5 months ago) your lucky bro

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kaganreal (5 months ago) the wolf howls and we listen,mesmerized, as always.

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TupeloGum (5 months ago) Awesome.

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 johntcolo (5 months ago) What Class, this guy was my hero from an early age.......they dont make em like da Wolf anymore!

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nidgetucker (5 months ago) Man he is such a class act long live the blues

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Such a gentleman, everyones in suit and tie and the ladies dressed to the nines (9)s to go out on the town, todays shows a pale comparison to the good ole days. People had respect for thierselves and each other, to show each other the courtesy of being well groomed and well mannered,

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kpitt1204 (5 months ago) I agree! IT's kindof fly how everybody used to stay dressed when going out. Seems as though it was something real special back then.

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FloormanofAlabama (5 months ago) Hey there

Rodger that!
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James27272 (4 months ago) Watch cadillac Records you can find it free on a search engine great movie about wolf muddy berry miss james ect...

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Hibbs4Prez (4 months ago) Cadillac Records isn't about the musicians. Its mostly about the record company owner (a less interesting person). And its revisionist too. There were TWO Chess brothers running the show. And neither had a romantic relationship with Etta James. Movie is trash.

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katharineannhelkin (4 months ago) Wow I didn't know this. Do you know why it has been made just about the one Chess brother then? And why did they put it in about the relationship with Etta? I suppose just for effect/to make it more interesting.
I really enjoyed the movie, this kind of music was very much before my time and I didn't know anything about the eta so felt it gave me a bit of an insight into the lifestyle etc that went with it but your information obviously diminshes that...i'd love to know more!

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willwkrueger (4 months ago) the best thing that movie could ever do would be to encourage young viewers to go out (or online) at seek exposure to the REAL thing... and the blues doesnt get more real than Howlin Wolf!

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argaxyor111 (4 months ago) im a metalhead i love metal.

but the blues is the grandfather of metal.
I listed to this blues and i love it. i bow to howling wolf
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samuelshepard (4 months ago) lol willie dixon looks like he's having a really good time at 4:26
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dunkafelic (4 months ago) when I see the light at the end of the tunnel and hear the wolf's voice, that's when I'll know there's a heaven.

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fakeyjake (4 months ago) What is the source of this clip? Is there video of the complete concert?

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demented20 (4 months ago) Yep, American Folk Blues - British Tours1963-1966 on DVD. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.
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JBlueMast (4 months ago) I never saw that movie because I knew they wouldn't do the real artists justice...
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soundof65 (4 months ago) I agree mate. The one redeeming feature about that film is that it does bring the Chess artists back into the public eye. Like this clip o fold Chester AKA Howlin Wolf who is great by the way. Let us not forget Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Chuck Berry and the great Bo Diddely as well as a whole roster of great Blues performers.
 

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