Howlin' Wolf

Howlin' Wolf was one of the most powerful and physically imposing figures in the history of the blues. Standing six foot three and weighing nearly three hundred pounds, Chester Arthur Burnett possessed a voice to match his frame — a massive, guttural howl that could convey menace, desire, humor, and anguish in a single phrase. Born in Mississippi and schooled by Charley Patton himself, Wolf brought the raw intensity of Delta blues to Chicago's electric scene, where he became the chief rival to Muddy Waters on Chess Records. His band featured some of the greatest sidemen in blues history, including guitarist Hubert Sumlin, whose jagged, angular style — all bent notes and unpredictable phrasing — was as influential on rock guitar as any player of his generation. Songs like Smokestack Lightnin', Killing Floor, Spoonful, and Back Door Man became foundational texts for the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, the Doors, and Cream. The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions paired him with Eric Clapton and other British admirers. Wolf played with undiminished ferocity until kidney failure forced his retirement, leaving behind a body of work that remains among the most visceral and commanding in American music.