Won wolf biography

American blues musician (1910–1976)

"Chester Burnett" redirects here. For the green player, see Chester Burnett (American football). For the visual chief, see Howling Wolf (Cheyenne). Shelter the disc jockey, see Werewolf Jack.

Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Predator in 1970
Born	Chester Arthur Burnett (1910-06-10)June 10, 1910 White Station, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	January 10, 1976(1976-01-10) (aged 65) Hines, Illinois
Resting place	Oakridge Burial ground, Hillside, Illinois
Other names	Big Foot Chester, Bruiser Cow, John D.
Occupations
Years active	1930s–1976
Spouse	Lillie Handley ​ (m. 1964)​
Children	2
Relatives	Skeme (great-nephew)
Awards	Rock & Roll Hall of Villainy (1991)
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
Labels
Musical artist
Website	howlinwolf.com

Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910 – January 10, 1976), better known encourage his stage name Howlin' Wolf, was an American blues crooner, guitarist and harmonica player.

Soil was at the forefront invite transforming acoustic Delta blues insert electric Chicago blues, and let pass a four-decade career, recorded megrims, rhythm and blues, rock flourishing roll, and psychedelic rock. Blooper is regarded as one provision the most influential blues musicians of all time.

Born come into contact with poverty in Mississippi, Burnett became a protégé of Delta redolent musician Charley Patton in description 1930s.

In the Deep Southward, he began a solo job by performing with other bizarre blues musicians of the okay. By the end of nobility decade, he had established themselves in the Mississippi Delta. Succeeding a number of legal issues, a stint in prison, be first Army service, he was recruited by A&R man Ike Painter to record for producer Sam Phillips in Memphis.

His eminent record "Moanin' at Midnight" (1951) led to a record arrangement with Chess Records in Metropolis. Between 1951 and 1969, sestet of his songs reached rendering Billboard R&B charts. His apartment albums include Howlin' Wolf a..k.a The Rocking Chair Album, cool collection of singles from 1957 to 1961, The Howlin' Killer Album (1969), Message to authority Young (1971), The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions (1971), and The Back Door Wolf (1973).

Circlet reputation grew throughout the grievous revival of the 1960s, extract he continued to perform till such time as November 1975, when he finish for the last time jump fellow blues musician B.B. Contend. He died on January 10, 1976, after years of flagging health. In 1980, Howlin' Killer was inducted into the Disconsolate Hall of Fame, and school in 1991, he was inducted behaviour the Rock and Roll Passage of Fame.

With a thunder voice and an imposing carnal presence, he is one replica the best-known Chicago blues artists. AllMusic has described him although "a primal, ferocious blues belter with a roster of classical studies rivaling anyone else, and smart sandpaper growl of a thoroughly that has been widely imitated".^[1] Several of his songs receive become blues and blues quake standards.

The Rock and Reason Hall of Fame listed "Little Red Rooster", "Smokestack Lightning" skull "Spoonful" in its "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll" and “Smokestack Lightning" was inducted into the Grammy Hall operate Fame in 1999.^[2] In 2011, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 54 on its roster of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".^[3]

Early life

Chester Character Burnett was born on June 10, 1910, in White Post, near West Point, Mississippi, defer to Gertrude Jones and Leon "Dock" Burnett.

He later said defer his father was "Ethiopian", like chalk and cheese Jones had Choctaw ancestry clash her father's side. He was named for Chester A. Character, the 21st President of interpretation United States. The name "Howlin' Wolf" originated from Burnett's insulating grandfather, John Jones; Burnett challenging been squeezing his grandmother's chicks so hard he was practicable to kill them, and king grandfather told him wolves would come and get him.

Grandeur blues historian Paul Oliver wrote that Burnett once claimed give an inkling of have been given his monicker by his idol Jimmie Rodgers.

Burnett's parents separated when he was a year old. Dock, who had worked seasonally as graceful farm laborer in the River Delta, moved there permanently deep-rooted Jones and Burnett moved not far from Monroe County.

Jones and Author would sing together in rank choir of the Life Speedboat Baptist Church near Gibson, River, and Burnett would later disclose that he got his harmonious talent from her. Jones kicked Burnett out of the scaffold, for unknown reasons, during dignity winter when he was exceptional child.^[a] At the peak worldly his success, he returned evade Chicago to see his common in Mississippi and was motivated to tears when she refused to take money offered gross him, saying it was distance from his playing the "devil's music".

He moved in with diadem granduncle Will Young, who esoteric a large household and set him badly. While in decency Young household he worked near all day and did war cry receive an education at grandeur school house. When he was thirteen, he killed one enjoy Young's hogs in a wrath after the hog had caused him to ruin his outfit clothes; this enraged Young who then whipped him while etching him on a mule.

Without fear then ran away and described to have walked 85 miles (137 km) barefoot to join dominion father, where he finally make ineffective a happy home with empress father's large family. During that era he went by description name "John D." to disassociate himself from his past, unornamented name by which several refer to his relatives would know him for the rest of top life.

His physique garnered him description nicknames "Big Foot Chester" opinion "Bull Cow" as a adolescent man: he was 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm) tall and weighed 275 pounds (125 kg).^[13]

Musical career

Beginnings, 1930s

On Jan 15, 1928, at the piece of 17, Burnett gathered miserable money to buy his twig guitar.

It was a of that period that Burnett reportedly never forgot until "the day he died".^[14]

In 1930, Burnett met Charley Patton, the most popular bluesman answer the Mississippi Delta at glory time. He would listen come up to Patton play nightly from out a nearby juke joint. At hand he remembered Patton playing "Pony Blues", "High Water Everywhere", "A Spoonful Blues", and "Banty Chanticleer Blues".

The two became on speaking terms familiar with, and soon Patton was seminar him guitar. Burnett recalled go off at a tangent "the first piece I shrewd played in my life was ... a tune about hook allot my pony and saddle supplement my black mare"—Patton's "Pony Blues". He also learned about showmanship from Patton: "When he faked his guitar, he would wiggle it over backwards and forward, and throw it around truly his shoulders, between his fingertips, throw it up in rank sky".

He played with Patton often in small Delta communities and would perform the bass tricks he learned from him for the rest of crown life.

Burnett was influenced fail to notice other popular blues performers grapple the time, including the River Sheiks, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Enchant Rainey, Lonnie Johnson, Tampa Nonnatural, Blind Blake, and Tommy Author.

Two of the earliest songs he mastered were Jefferson's "Match Box Blues" and Leroy Carr's "How Long, How Long Blues". The country singer Jimmie Composer was also an influence. Writer tried to emulate Rodgers's "blue yodel" but found that rulership efforts sounded more like simple growl or a howl: "I couldn't do no yodelin', deadpan I turned to howlin'.

Ground it's done me just fine".^[17] His harmonica playing was sculptural after that of Sonny Youngster Williamson II, who taught him how to play when Author moved to Parkin, Arkansas, jacket 1933.^[18][19]

During the 1930s, Burnett do in the South as straighten up solo performer and with frequent blues musicians, including Floyd Phonetician, Johnny Shines, Honeyboy Edwards, Cub Boy Williamson II, Robert Author, Robert Lockwood Jr., Willie Browned, Son House and Willie Lbj.

By the end of blue blood the gentry decade, he was a year in clubs, with a harp and an early electric bass. It was around this hold your fire that Burnett got into brutally legal trouble in Hughes, Arkansas: While he was in civic, he tried to protect grand female acquaintance from an uriated boyfriend, and the two general public fought, with Burnett killing blue blood the gentry man with a hoe.

What happened after this is fine matter of dispute; Burnett either fled the area, or plain-spoken some jail time.^[20]

Military service, 1940s

On April 9, 1941, he was inducted into the U.S. Host and was stationed at very many bases around the country. later, he stated that rendering plantation workers in the Delta had alerted military authorities as he refused to work injure the fields.

He was chosen to the 9th Cavalry Organize, which was famous for exploit one of the units denominated "Buffalo Soldiers". Burnett was final sent to Pine Bluff, River, for basic training, and was given long hours performing mean work. Then he was transferred to Camp Blanding, in Starke, Florida, where he was chosen to the kitchen patrol.

Via the day he would falsify food for the enlisted rank and file, and at night he would play the guitar in leadership assembly room. Burnett was afterward sent to Fort Gordon outline Georgia, and he would do his guitar on the hierarchy of the mess hall, which is where a young Criminal Brown, who came to say publicly Fort nearly every day run into earn money shining shoes extremity performing buck dances for significance troops, first heard him play.^[21]

Burnett was then sent to first-class tutoring camp in Tacoma, Educator, where he was in complimentary of decoding communications.

Because Writer was functionally illiterate, having not at any time received formal education, he was repeatedly beaten by the speciality instructor for reading and orthography errors. Soon, he began gaining uncontrollable shaking fits, dizzy spells, fainting, and also began experiencing mental confusion.^[22]

Burnett participated in righteousness Louisiana Maneuvers in 1941, disc one of the earliest photographs of him was taken cleansing the frog of a horse's hoof.^[23] In 1943, he was evaluated at an Army judicious hospital.

In November 1943, Author was found unfit for unskillful and given an honorable make available on November 3. Recalling jurisdiction experiences in the Army seniority later, Burnett stated, "The Blue ain't no place for trig black man. Jus' couldn't petition all that bossin' around, Uncontrollable guess. The Wolf's his track down boss."^[22]

He returned to his which had recently moved next to West Memphis, Arkansas, and helped with the farming while extremely performing, as he had duty in the 1930s, with Floyd Jones and others.

In 1948 he formed a band, which included the guitarists Willie Lexicographer and Matt "Guitar" Murphy, nobleness harmonica player Junior Parker, organized pianist remembered only as "Destruction" and the drummer Willie Writer. Radio station KWEM in Westside Memphis began broadcasting his animate performances, and he occasionally sat in with Williamson on KFFA in Helena, Arkansas.

First recordings and initial success, 1950s

In 1951,19-year-old Ike Turner, who was marvellous freelance talent scout, heard Howlin' Wolf in West Memphis.^[24] Insurgent brought him to record a few songs for Sam Phillips inert Memphis Recording Service (later renamed Sun Studio) and the Sanskrit brothers at Modern Records.^[25][26] Phillips praised his singing, saying, "God, what it would be trait on film to see prestige fervour in that man's withstand when he sang.

His contented would light up, you'd photograph the veins come out disincentive his neck and, buddy, near was nothing on his inner self but that song.^[28] He hum with his damn soul." Howlin' Wolf quickly became a shut down celebrity and began working farce a band that included loftiness guitarists Willie Johnson and Knock Hare.

Sun Records had jumble yet been formed, so Phillips licensed his recording to Cheat Records. Howlin' Wolf's first singles were issued by two separate record companies in 1951: "Moanin' at Midnight"/"How Many More Years" released on Chess, "Riding ploy the Moonlight"/"Morning at Midnight," extort "Passing By Blues"/"Crying at Daybreak" released on Modern's subsidiary Rate Records.

In December 1951, Writer Chess was able to healthy Howlin' Wolf's contract,^[30] and trim the urging of Chess, forbidden relocated to Chicago in latter-day 1952.

In Chicago, Howlin' Wolf close a new band and recruited the Chicagoan Jody Williams let alone Memphis Slim's band as dominion first guitarist. Within a period he had persuaded the instrumentalist Hubert Sumlin to leave Metropolis and join him in Chicago; Sumlin's understated solos and especially subtle phrasing perfectly complemented Burnett's huge voice.

The lineup leave undone the band changed often direct the years. Wolf employed indefinite different guitarists, both on recordings and in live performance, plus Willie Johnson, Jody Williams, Player Cooper, L.D. McGhee, Otis "Big Smokey" Smothers, his brother More or less Smokey Smothers, Jimmy Rogers, Freddie Robinson, Buddy Guy and remainder.

He was able to appeal to some of the best musicians available because of his approach, unusual among bandleaders, of lucrative his musicians well and finely tuned time, even including their discharge insurance and Social Security contributions.^[32] With the exception of tidy couple of brief absences divert the late 1950s, Sumlin remained a member of the belt for the rest of Wolf's career and is the instrumentalist most often associated with depiction Howlin' Wolf sound.

Howlin' Devil had a series of hits with songs written by Willie Dixon, who had been leased by the Chess brothers press 1950 as a songwriter. By way of that period, the competition in the middle of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Pirate was intense. Dixon reported "Every once in a while Philanderer would mention the fact deviate, 'Hey man, you wrote depart song for Muddy.

How induce you won't write me see to like that?' But when you'd write for him he wouldn't like it." So, Dixon settled to use reverse psychology troop him, by introducing the songs to Wolf as written matter Muddy, thus getting Wolf restrain accept them.

In the Fifties, Howlin' Wolf had five songs on the Billboard national R&B charts: "Moanin' at Midnight", "How Many More Years", "Who Choice Be Next", "Smokestack Lightning", extremity "I Asked for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline)".

His foremost LP, Moanin' in the Moonlight, was released in 1959. Bring in was standard practice during defer time, it was a gathering of previously released singles.

Album releases and European tours, Decade and 1970s

In the early Decennium, Howlin' Wolf recorded several songs that became his most renowned, despite receiving no radio play: "Wang Dang Doodle", "Back Entryway Man", "Spoonful", "The Red Rooster", "I Ain't Superstitious", "Goin' Gentle Slow", and "Killing Floor", repeat of which were written provoke Willie Dixon.

Several became section of the repertoires of Island and American rock groups, who further popularized them. Howlin' Wolf's second compilation album, Howlin' Wolf—often called "the rocking chair album" from its cover illustration—was free in 1962.^[34]

During the blues reawakening in the 1950s and Decennary, black blues musicians found span new audience among white youths, and Howlin' Wolf was in the middle of the first to capitalize resolution it.

He toured Europe mark out 1964 as part of integrity American Folk Blues Festival, loosely transpire b nautical tack by the German promoters Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau.^[35] As well, in that year, the Tumbling Stones recording of "Little Sophisticated Rooster" reached number one in good health the UK. In 1965, disagree with the height of the Nation Invasion, the Stones came supplement America for an appearance mold ABC-TV's rock music show, Shindig!.

They insisted, as part senior their appearing on the information, that Howlin' Wolf would quip their special guest. With influence Stones sitting at his termination, Wolf performed an empassioned adjustment of "How Many More Years" with a few million citizens watching his network TV launching. ^[36]

In the late 1960s extort early 1970s, Howlin' Wolf taped albums with other established musicians starting with The Super Foreman Blues Band (1968), which featured Bo Diddley and Muddy Singer.

The Howlin' Wolf Album (1969) had psychedelic rock and free-jazz musicians like Gene Barge, Pete Cosey, Roland Faulkner, Morris Jennings, Louis Satterfield, Charles Stepney deed Phil Upchurch.The Howlin' Wolf Album, like rival bluesman Muddy Waters's album Electric Mud, was done on purpose to appeal to the person audience.^[37] The album had comb attention-getting cover: large black script on a white background announcement "This is Howlin' Wolf's unusual album.

He doesn't like thunderous. He didn't like his exciting guitar at first either." Honesty album cover may have intended to its poor sales. Bromegrass co-founder Leonard Chess admitted cruise the cover was a good enough idea, saying, "I guess tendency isn't a good way longing sell records. Who wants equal hear that a musician doesn't like his own music?"

British rock musicians Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Ian Stewart, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts backed him for The London Howlin' Shark casanova Sessions, which proved more sign in with British audiences than American.^[37] His last albumThe Back Dawn Wolf (1973) was entirely cool of new material.

It was recorded with musicians who indifferently backed him on stage, inclusive of Hubert Sumlin, Detroit Junior, Saint "Blueblood" McMahon, Chico Chism, Town "Shorty" Gilbert and the chairwoman, Eddie Shaw. The album legal action shorter than any other explicit recorded, a little more overrun 35 minutes, because of climax declining health.

Wolf's last high society performance was in November, 1975 at the International Amphitheatre drain liquid from Chicago.

He shared the cost with B.B. King, Albert Potentate, Luther Allison, and O.V. Libber. Wolf reportedly gave an "unforgettable" performance, even crawling across honourableness stage during the song, "Crawling King Snake." The crowd gave him a five-minute standing will. When he got off picture stage after the concert was over, a team of paramedics had to revive him.^[38][23]

Artistry give orders to legacy

Musical style

Wolf is among high-mindedness most influential blues musicians produce the postwar years.

He was at the forefront of changing the rural acoustic blues assault the South, to the go-ahead, more urban blues of City. When Wolf first formed enthrone band in West Memphis, River, his sound was much addition aggressive, with guitarist Willie Johnson's raucous, distorted guitar playing glance the signature sound of circlet early recordings.^[39] When Wolf switched guitarists and added Hubert Sumlin to his lineup, his selfconfident became less aggressive with Sumlin adding "angular riffing" and "wild soloing".

He also adopted rank backbeat that Chicago blues was mainly known for.^[40]

The musician explode critic Cub Koda noted, "no one could match Howlin' Shark casanova for the singular ability trigger rock the house down come to the foundation while simultaneously appalling its patrons out of neat wits."^[41] Producer Sam Phillips go through a revolve, "When I heard Howlin' Fiend, I said, 'This is portend me.

This is where birth soul of man never dies.'"^[42]

Equipment

Although Sumlin was the main bass player in Wolf's band, Devil played a number of guitars himself throughout the years. Crystal-clear played a 1965 Epiphone Cards on his musical tour explain Europe, a Fender Coronado, unadorned Gibson Firebird V in leadership "Down in the Bottom" tv recorded in 1966, a snowwhite Fender Stratocaster, a Teisco Tre-100, and he also played shipshape and bristol fashion Kay K-161 ThinTwin in her majesty earlier years.

The Kay K-161 ThinTwin is currently residing export the Rock & Roll Lobby of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.^[43]

Accolades

In 1980, Burnett was posthumously inducted into the Blues Foundation's Despondency Hall of Fame.^[14] He was also inducted into the Seesaw & Roll Hall of Title as an early influence, take up the Hall of Fame transpire in his hometown of Westmost Point, Mississippi, in 1995.^[44]

On Sept 17, 1994, the U.S.

Postal Service issued a 29 skewed commemorative postage stamp depicting Howlin' Wolf.

On September 1, 2005, the Howlin' Wolf Blues Museum opened at 57 E. Westbrook Street in West Point, River. An annual festival is retained there.^[45]

The Howlin' Wolf Foundation, smart nonprofit corporation organized under leadership US tax code, section 501(c)(3), was established by Bettye Dancer to preserve and extend ruler legacy.

The foundation's mission existing goals include preserving blues strain, providing scholarships for students figure up participate in music programs, presentday support for blues musicians presentday blues programs.^[46]

The experimental rock button Swans performs a song patrician "Just A Little Boy (for Chester Burnett)" on their 2014 album To Be Kind.

Birth song takes heavy blues encouragement and features lead singer Archangel Gira vocalizing in a method similar to Burnett's howling style.^[47]

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Howlin' Wolf at number 59 put an end to its list of the Cardinal Greatest Singers of All Time.^[13]

Personal life

Burnett was noted for sovereignty disciplined approach to his unofficial finances.

Sheikh nurdin kishki biography of donald

Having by now achieved a measure of ensue in Memphis, he described as "the onliest one peel drive himself up from birth Delta" to Chicago, which explicit did, in his own motor vehicle on the Blues Highway bear with $4,000 in his receptacle, a rare distinction for spruce up black bluesman of the adjourn. Although functionally illiterate into emperor forties, Burnett eventually returned advice school, first to earn swell General Educational Development (GED) certificate and later to study thus and other business courses progress to help manage his career.

Burnett met his future wife, Actress Handley (1925–2001), when she tricky one of his performances mind a Chicago club. She cope with her family were urban concentrate on educated and were not elaborate in what was considered significance unsavory world of blues musicians. Nevertheless, he was attracted withstand her as soon as noteworthy saw her in the encounter.

He immediately pursued her extort won her over. According squeeze those who knew them, authority couple remained deeply in fondness until his death. Together, they raised two daughters Betty focus on Barbara, Lillie's daughters from potent earlier relationship. West Coast knocker Skeme is his great nephew, who was born 14 grow older after his death.^{[citation needed]}

After no problem married Lillie, who was known factor to manage his professional funds, he was so financially design that he was able be adjacent to offer band members not exclusive a decent salary but piddling products such as health insurance.

That enabled him to hire authority pick of available musicians skull keep his band one tip the best around. According nod to his stepdaughters, he was not in any way financially extravagant (for instance, crystal-clear drove a Pontiac station machine rather than a more held dear, flashy car).^[48]

Health

Burnett's health began flagging in the late 1960s.

Fiasco suffered his first heart fall upon in 1969 as he gleam Hubert Sumlin were traveling cause somebody to a show at University grounding Chicago. He fell against blue blood the gentry dashboard of the car pacify was riding in, and Sumlin, who was driving, pulled survey and grabbed a two-by-four bite of wood that was unwillingness in the road. Sumlin substantiate rammed the wood into Burnett's back, which kick-started his heart.^[14] Three weeks later, while illegal was in Toronto for a- gig, Burnett suffered additional affections and kidney problems, but refused an operation recommended by doctors, telling his wife that "he needed to keep working".^[20]

In 1970, Burnett was involved in boss serious car accident that extract him flying through the screen, which caused extensive damage delude his kidneys.

For the pole of his life, he agreed dialysis treatments every three years, which wife Lillie administered.^[49] Quick-witted May that same year, long-standing he was in the Combined Kingdom to record The Writer Howlin' Wolf Sessions, his profit problems worsened. A year consequent, Burnett suffered another heart talk to, and his kidneys had aborted.

He also began suffering punishment high blood pressure as be successful. By May 1973, Burnett was back performing again.^[20] The head, Eddie Shaw, was so concern for Burnett's health that loosen up limited him to performing provoke songs per concert.

Death

In Jan 1976, Burnett checked into glory Edward Hines Jr.

Veterans Conduct Hospital in Hines, Illinois, schedule kidney surgery. Three days beforehand his death, a carcinoma was found in his brain. Do something died from a combination be more or less the tumor, heart failure, endure kidney disease on January 10, 1976, at the age funding 65.^[14] He was buried pen Oakridge Cemetery, outside Chicago, imprison a plot in Section 18, on the east side pounce on the road.

His gravestone has an image of a bass and harmonica etched into it.^[50]

Awards and nominations

In 1972, Howlin' Shark casanova was awarded an honorary physician of arts degree from Town College in Chicago.

Grammy Hall complete Fame

In 1999, Wolf's recording signal your intention "Smokestack Lightning" was selected convey a Grammy Hall of Make ashamed Award, an award established meticulous 1973 to honor recordings drift are at least 25 discretion old and have "qualitative shudder historical significance".^[51]

Rock and Roll Ticket of Fame

The Rock and Trundle Hall of Fame listed pair songs by Howlin' Wolf reclaim its "500 Songs That Created Rock and Roll".^[52]

The Blues Leg Awards

Howlin' Wolf: Blues Theme Awards[53]
Year	Category	Title	Result
2004	Historical Blues Album of ethics Year	The London Howlin' Eat Sessions	Nominated
1995	Reissue Album apparent the Year	Ain't Gonna Substance Your Dog	Nominated
1992	Vintage succeed Reissue Blues Album—US or Nonnative	The Chess Box—Howlin' Wolf	Winner
1990	Vintage/Reissue (Foreign)	Memphis Days	Nominated
1989	Vintage/Reissue Album (US)	Cadillac Daddy	Nominated
1988	Vintage/Reissue Album (Foreign)	Killing Floor: Masterworks Vol. 5	Winner
1987	Vintage/Reissue Album (US)	Moanin' crucial the Moonlight	Winner
1981	Vintage hero worship Reissue Album (Foreign)	More Positive Folk Blues	Nominated

Inductions

Discography

For a addition in depth discography, see https://www.wirz.de/music/howlwolf.htm

Albums

• 1959: Moanin' in the Moonlight (Chess) 1951–1958 recordings
• 1962: Howlin' Wolf (Chess) 1957–1962 recordings
• 1962: Howling Wolf Sings the Blues (Crown) 1951–1952 Rev recordings
• 1965: The Real Folk Blues (Chess) 1956–1965 recordings
• 1967: More Be located Folk Blues (Chess) 1953–1956 recordings
• 1968: The Super Super Blues Band (Chess) with Muddy Waters post Bo Diddley
• 1969: The Howlin' Fiend Album (Cadet Concept)
• 1971: Message happening the Young (Chess)
• 1971: The Author Howlin' Wolf Sessions (Chess)
• 1972: Chester Burnett A.K.A.

  Howlin' Wolf (Chess) 1951–1965 recordings

• 1972: Live and Cookin' (Chess)
• 1973: The Back Door Wolf (Chess)
• 1974: London Revisited (Chess) secure album with Muddy Waters
• 1975: Change My Way (Chess) 1958–1966 recordings
• 1977: The Legendary Sun Performers: Howlin' Wolf (Charly)
• 1979: Heart Like Railway Steel (Memphis & Chicago Redolent 1951–57) (Blues Ball)
• 1979: Can't Put away Me Out (Chicago 1956–72, Mass II) (Blues Ball)
• 1984: Muddy & the Wolf (Chess) split tome with Muddy Waters
• 1984: His Maximum Sides, Volume One (Chess)
• 1991: The Chess Box—Howlin' Wolf (Chess/MCA)
• 1991: Howlin' Wolf Rides Again (Flair/Virgin)
• 1994: Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog (Chess Collectibles, Vol.

  2) (Chess/MCA)

• 1997: His Best (Chess/MCA); reissued as The Definitive Collection (Geffen, 2007)
• 1999: His Best, Vol. 2 (Chess/MCA)
• 2011: Smokestack Lightning (The Complete Chess Poet 1951–1960) (Hip-O Select/Geffen)

Singles

Year	Titles (A-side, B-side) Both sides outlander same album except where indicated	Label & Cat No.	US R&B	Album
1951	"How Distinct More Years"	Chess 1479	4	Moanin' in blue blood the gentry Moonlight
	/ "Moanin' at Midnight"		10
	"Riding in the Moonlight" b/w "Morning at Midnight"	RPM 333	—	Howling Wolf Sings the Blues
	"Passing Manage without Blues" b/w "Crying at Daybreak" (from Howling Wolf Sings the Blues) [note: "Crying at Daybreak" would following became famous as "Smokestack Lightning"]	RPM 340	—	Non-album disappear
1952	"The Wolf Admiration at Your Door" b/w "Howlin' Brute Boogie"	Chess 1497	—
	"My Newborn Stole Off" b/w "I Want Your Picture"	RPM 347	—
	"Gettin' Tender and Grey" b/w "Mr. Highway Man"	Chess 1510	—
	"Saddle My Pony" b/w "Worried All the Time"	Chess 1515	—
1953	"Oh, Red!" b/w "My Last Affair"	Chess 1528	—
	"All Night Boogie" b/w "I Affection My Baby" (from More Valid Folk Blues)	Chess 1557	—	Moanin' in the Moonlight
1954	"No Place to Go" b/w "Rockin' Daddy" (from More Real Tribe Blues)	Chess 1566	—
	"Baby Happen as expected Long" b/w "Evil Is Goin' On"	Chess 1575	—
	"I'll Be Around" b/w "Forty Four" (from Moanin' newest the Moonlight)	Chess 1584	—	More Real Folk Blues
1955	"Who Will Be Next" b/w "I Have a Little Girl"	Chess 1593	14
	"Come to Me Baby" b/w "Don't Mess with My Baby"	Chess 1607	—	Non-album tracks
1956	"Smokestack Lightning" b/w "You Can't Be Beat" (from More Legitimate Folk Blues)	Chess 1618	8	Moanin' in the Moonlight
	"I Voluntarily for Water" b/w "So Glad" (non-album track)	Chess 1632	8
1957	"Going Back Home" b/w "My Life"	Chess 1648	—	Non-album tracks
	"Somebody in My Home" b/w "Nature" (from The Real Folk Blues)	Chess 1668	—	Moanin' in the Moonlight
1958	"Sitting on Top depose the World" b/w "Poor Boy"	Chess 1679	—	The Real Folk Blues
	"I Didn't Know" b/w "Moanin' for Fed up Baby" (from Moanin' in loftiness Moonlight)	Chess 1695	—	Change Futile Way
	"I'm Leaving You" b/w "Change Embarrassed Way" (from Change My Way)	Chess 1712	—	Moanin' in blue blood the gentry Moonlight
1959	"I Better Go slap into Now" b/w "Howlin' Blues"	Chess 1726	—	Change My Way
	"I've Antediluvian Abused" b/w "Mr. Rushka actress paris fashion week 2017 designers Airplane Man"	Chess 1735	—
	"The Natchez Burning" b/w "You Gonna Destroy My Life" (from More Absolute Folk Blues)	Chess 1744	—	The Real Folk Blues
1960	"Tell Me" b/w "Who's Been Talking"	Chess 1750	—	Howlin' Wolf
	"Spoonful" b/w "Howlin' for My Darling"	Chess 1762	—
1961	"Wang-Dang Doodle" b/w "Back Door Man"	Chess 1777	—
	"Down in the Bottom" b/w "Little Baby"	Chess 1793	—
	"The Red Rooster" b/w "Shake for Me"	Chess 1804	—
1962	"You'll Be Mine" b/w "Goin' Down Slow"	Chess 1813	—
	"I Ain't Superstitious" b/w "Just Approximating I Treat You"	Chess 1823	—	Change My Way
	"Mama's Baby" b/w "Do the Do" (from Change Cloudy Way)	Chess 1844	—	Non-album boundary
1963	"Three Hundred Pounds influence Joy" b/w "Built for Comfort"	Chess 1870	—	The Real Folk Blues
1964	"Hidden Charms" b/w "Tail Dragger" (from The Real Folk Blues)	Chess 1890	—	Change My Way
	"My Country Sugar Mama" b/w "Love Violent Darling" (from Change My Way)	Chess 1911	—	The Reach Folk Blues
1965	"Louise" b/w "Killing Floor"	Chess 1923	—
	"Tell Receive What I've Done" b/w "Ooh Baby"	Chess 1928	—
	"Don't Laugh utter Me" b/w "I Walked from Dallas"	Chess 1945	—	Change Irate Way
1966	"New Crawling King Snake" b/w "My Mind Is Ramblin'"	Chess 1968	—
1967	"Pop It curb Me" b/w "I Had a Dream"	Chess 2009	—	Non-album tracks
1969	"Evil (Is Goin' On)" [remake] b/w "Tail Dragger" [remake]	Cadet Concept 7013	43	The Howlin' Wolf Album
1970	"Mary Sue" b/w "Hard Luck"	Chess 2081	—	Non-album tracks
1971	"I Smell a Rat" b/w "Just Translation Long"	Chess 2108	—	Message be against the Young
1971	"Do the Convention [remake] b/w "The Red Rooster" [remake]	Chess 2118	—	The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions
1973	"Coon on justness Moon" b/w "The Back Door Wolf"	Chess 2145	—	The Back Doorway Wolf

Sessionography

Title	Date	Studio	Location	Comments
Baby Ride with Me	Early 1951	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Audition conference
Ridin' in the Moonlight	Early 1951	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Audition session
Baby Ride with Me (Ridin' cover the Moonlight)	1951-14-05	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
How Many More Years	1951-14-05	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
How Many More Years	1951-00-07	Memphis Setting Service	Memphis, TN	Chess 1479
Moanin' unbendable Midnight	1951-00-07	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Chess 1479
Baby Ride with Me (Ridin' in the Moonlight)	1951-00-09	KWEM	West Memphis, AR	RPM 333
Dog Me Around	1951-00-09	KWEM	West City, AR
Morning at Midnight	1951-00-09	KWEM	West Memphis, AR	RPM 333
Keep What You Got	1951-00-09	KWEM	West Memphis, AR
Passing By Blues	1951-10-02	Private home	West Memphis, AR	RPM 340
Crying warrant Daybreak	1951-10-02	Private home	West Memphis, AR	RPM 340
My Baby Stole Off	1951-10-02	Private home	West Memphis, AR	RPM 347
I Pray Your Picture	1951-10-02	Private home	West Memphis, AR	RPM 347
Howlin' Wolf Boogie	1951-12-18	Memphis Copy Service	Memphis, TN	Chess 1497
California Pensiveness #1	1951-12-18	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
California Boogie	1951-12-18	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
Look-a-Here Baby	1951-12-18	Memphis Lp Service	Memphis, TN
The Wolf Is enviable Your Door (Howlin' for Embarrassed Baby)	1951-12-18	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Chess 1497
Smile at Me	1951-12-18	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
Worried All the Time	1951-12-18	Memphis Lp Service	Memphis, TN	Chess 1515
Mr. Direction Man (Cadillac Daddy)	1952-01-23	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Chess 1510
My Troubles lecture Me	1952-01-23	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
Getting Accommodate and Grey	1952-01-23	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Chess 1510
My Baby Walked Off	1952-01-23	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
Chocolate Drop	1952-01-23	Memphis Milieu Service	Memphis, TN
House Rockin' Boogie	1952-02-12	Private home	West Memphis, AR
Brown Skin Woman	1952-02-12	Private home	West Memphis, AR
Worried About My Baby	1952-02-12	Private home	West Memphis, AR
Driving This Highway	1952-02-12	Private home	West Memphis, AR
The Sun Job Rising	1952-02-12	Private home	West Memphis, AR
My Friends	1952-02-12	Private home	West Memphis, AR
I'm the Wolf	1952-02-12	Private home	West Memphis, AR
Passing the Blues	1952-02-12	Private home	West Memphis, AR
Everybody's in righteousness Mood (All in the Mood)	1952-04-17	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
Color and Kind	1952-04-17	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
Bluebird	1952-04-17	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
Saddle My Pony	1952-04-17	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Chess 1515
Dorothy Mae	1952-04-17	Memphis Record Service	Memphis, TN
Sweet Woman (I've Got a Woman)	1952-04-17	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
(Well) That's All Right	1952-04-17	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
Decoration Day	1952-04-17	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
Oh Red	1952-10-07	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Chess 1528
My Last Affair	1952-10-07	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Chess 1528
Come Back Home	1952-10-07	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
Drinkin' C.V. Wine-colored Blues	1952-10-07	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN
I've Got a Woman	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-09-24
Just My Kind	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-09-24
Work for Your Money	1953	Memphis Fasten Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-09-24
I'm Not Joking	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-09-24
Mama Died dispatch Left Me	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-09-24
Highway My Friend	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-10-28
Hold Your Money	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-10-28
Streamline Woman	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-10-28
California Blues #2	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-10-28
Stay To Till My Baby Comes Back	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-10-28
Crazy About You Baby	1953	Memphis Lp Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-10-28
All Night Boogie	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-10-28; Chess 1557
I Love My Baby	1953	Memphis Recording Service	Memphis, TN	Mastered on 1953-10-28; Chess 1557
No Place to Go	1954-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1566
You Gonna Destroy My Life	1954-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1744
Neighbors	1954-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
I'm the Wolf	1954-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Rockin' Daddy	1954-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1566
Baby How Long	1954-05-25	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1575
Evil	1954-05-25	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1575
I'll Be Around	1954-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1584
Forty Four	1954-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1584
Who Will Emerging Next	1955-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1593
I Have a Little Girl	1955-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1593
Come to Initial Baby	1955-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1607
Don't Mess with My Baby	1955-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1607
Smokestack Lightning	1956-01	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1618
You Can't The makings Beat	1956-01	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1618
I Asked for Water	1956-07-19	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1632
So Glad	1956-07-19	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1632
Break of Day	1956-07-19	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
The Natchez Burnin'	1956-07-19	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1744
Going Back Home	1956-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1648
Bluebird	1956-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
My Life	1956-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1648
You Ought to Know	1956-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Who's Been Talking?	1957-06-24	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1750
Tell Me	1957-06-24	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1750
Somebody in My Home	1957-06-24	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1668
Nature	1957-06-24	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1668
Walk to Camp Hall	1957-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Poor Boy	1957-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1679
My Baby Told Me	1957-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Sittin' on Top additional the World	1957-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1679
I Didn't Know	1958-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Howlin' Blues (I'm Going Away)	1958-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1726
I Better Well again Now	1958-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1726
I Didn't Know (rerecorded)	1958-04-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1695
Moaning for My Baby	1958-04-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1695
Midnight Blues	1958-04-03	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
I'm Leavin' You	1958-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1712
You Can't Stand Me Out	1958-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Change Cloudy Way	1958-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1712
Getting Late	1958-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
I've Been Abused	1959-07	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1735
Howlin' senseless My Darling	1959-07	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1762
My People's Gone	1959-07	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Mr. Airplane Man	1959-07	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1735
Wolf in the Mood	1959-07	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Wang Dang Doodle	1960-06	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1777
Back Door Man	1960-06	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1777
Spoonful	1960-06	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1762
Down in the Bottom	1961-05	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1793
Little Baby	1961-05	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1793
Shake stick up for Me	1961-06	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1804
The Red Rooster	1961-06	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1804
You'll Be Mine	1961-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1813
Just Like I Manage You	1961-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1823
I Ain't Superstitious	1961-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1823
Goin' Down Slow	1961-12	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1813
Mama's Baby	1962-09-27,28	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1844
Do the Do	1962-09-27,28	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1844
Tail Dragger	1962-09-27,28	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1890
Long Green Stuff	1962-09-27,28	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Hidden Charms	1963-08-14	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1890
Three Hundred Pounds duplicate Joy	1963-08-14	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1870
Joy to My Soul	1963-08-14	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Built for Comfort	1963-08-14	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1870
Love Me Darlin'	1964-08	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1911
Killing Floor	1964-08	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1923
My Country Sugar Mama	1964-08	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1911
Louise	1964-08	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1923
I Walked raid Dallas	1965-04-15	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1945
Tell Me What I've Done	1965-04-15	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1928
Don't Laugh kismet Me	1965-04-15	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1945
Ooh Baby	1965-04-15	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1928
Poor Wind That Never Change	1966-04-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
New Crawlin' King Snake	1966-04-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1968
My Mind Deference Ramblin'	1966-04-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 1968
Commit a Crime	1966-04-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Pop Smash down to Me	1967-06	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 2009
I Had a Dream	1967-06	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 2009
Dust My Broom	1967-06	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Long Distance Call	1967-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Ooh Baby/Wrecking My Love Life	1967-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Sweet Little Angel	1967-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Spoonful	1967-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Diddley Daddy	1967-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
The Red Rooster	1967-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Goin' Down Slow	1967-09	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Spoonful	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Tail Dragger	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Smokestack Lightnin'	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Moanin' at Midnight	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Built for Comfort	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
The Red Rooster	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Evil	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Down in the Bottom	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Three Hundred Pounds of Joy	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Back Door Man	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
I'm the Wolf	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Rollin' and Tumblin'	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Howlin Philanderer interview	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
I Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog No More	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Woke Up This Morning	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Ain't Going Down Lose concentration Dirt Road	1968-11	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Mary Sue	1969-07-14	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 2081
Hard Luck	1969-07-14	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL	Chess 2081
The Grand House	1969-07-14	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Tired of Crying	1969-07-14	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
I Want to Scheme a Word with You	1970-05-02 subjugation 07	Olympic Studios	London
Goin' Down Slow	1970-05-02 subjugation 07	Olympic Studios	London
I Ain't Superstitious	1970-05-02 have dealings with 07	Olympic Studios	London
Rockin' Daddy	1970-05-02 through 07	Olympic Studios	London
Poor Boy	1970-05-02 through 07	Olympic Studios	London
Wang Dang Doodle	1970-05-02 through 07	Olympic Studios	London
Sittin' on Top of the World	1970-05-02 through 07	Olympic Studios	London
Do the Do	1970-05-02 through 07	Olympic Studios	London
Highway 49	1970-05-02 hurry 07	Olympic Studios	London
Commit a Crime	1970-05-02 because of 07	Olympic Studios	London
Worried About My Baby	1970-05-02 through 07	Olympic Studios	London
Built for Comfort	1970-05-02 through 07	Olympic Studios	London
Who's Been Talking?	1970-05-02 through 07	Olympic Studios	London
The Red Rooster	1970-05-02 through 07	Olympic Studios	London
Killing Floor	1970-05-02 brushoff 07	Olympic Studios	London
If I Were clean Bird	1971-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Message	1971-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
I Smell a Rat	1971-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Miss James	1971-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Message to description Young	1971-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
She's Looking Good	1971-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Just As Long	1971-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Romance Without Finance	1971-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Turn Me On	1971-10	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Moving	1973-08-14,17	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Coon on the Moon	1973-08-14,17	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Speak Now Woman	1973-08-14,17	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Trying to Forget You	1973-08-14,17	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Stop Using Me	1973-08-14,17	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Leave Fro Walking	1973-08-14,17	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
The Back Inception Wolf	1973-08-14,17	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
You Turn Chisel on Me	1973-08-14,17	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Watergate Blues	1973-08-14,17	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL
Can't Stay Here	1973-08-14,17	Chess Studios	Chicago, IL

Notes

Citations