I went searching in YouTube for Muddy Waters and came up, a number of pages back, with the following: Muddy, Junior Wells, and Buddy Guy at the Montreux Jazz Festival in (I'm guessing) the late 1970s.
Muddy makes it clear here why he should be considered one of the greatest blues singers ever. It's hard to time out a very slow blues of this sort--to work and ride the beat with your voice at such a slow tempo while holding all the blues pitches, with their rising and falling edges. This is incredibly subtle, sophisticated stuff; it's not primitive "moaning," although some people down through the decades have insisted on misunderstanding (and condescending to) blues singing as that.
Also, check out what Junior plays behind the slide solo, starting around 2:26. He's lip-pursing much of the time, using the tip of his tongue on the 2 draw to play 1/16th note rain-drops. (Or 1/32nd notes?? You count 'em out and tell me.) His solo isn't bad, either. Listen to how much space he plays.
Using space is an art in itself. I've seen Junior sometimes not really doing much, but I've also seen him kick some major butt as well. I got to see him live playing chromatic (and he did use the button), and then walk thru the crowd playing chromatic acoustically and singing as well this way too. That night he just left me speechless.
Listening to Muddy sing is a huge lesson is singing way behind the beat. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
If someone held a gun to my head and said "Tell me your favorite bluesman of all time", I would have to say Muddy Waters. Even without the gun. The man was just dripping with charisma. This is also one of my favorite blues songs of all time. Third position harp works really well on this tune.
ironic. that's one of the first songs we covered back in the 90's with a particular band. back then i had more enthusiasm and volume than chops vocally. that video totally humbled me, yet at the same time i really remember well why i loved singing it and doing a harp part. muddy was the total package. how can one not be inspired to try when we see him in such absolute top form, with the guys on stage totally with him!
