blues with afeeling the Little Walter story Tony Glover, Scott Dirks, & Ward Gaines I~ ~~O~;~;~~~UP New Yorl< London Routledge Taylor and Francis Group 711 Third Avenue New York, NY 10017 Routledge Taylor and Francis Group 2 Park Square Milton Park, Abingdon Oxon OX14 4RN contents acknowledgments v preface IX 1. night train I Louisiana 1920-43 2. good evenin' everybody 13 New Orleans/Helena, Arkansas: 1943-44 3. wonder harmonica king 23 St. Louis/Points South/Chicago: Summer 1943-46 4. ijust keep loving her 37 Chicago/Points South and/or St. Louis/Chicago: c.1946-48 5. ebony boogie 51 Chicago/Helena/Mississippi/Chicago: September 1948-Fall 1951 6. "juke" 71 Chicago Blues Turns a Corner: Winter 1951-52 7. diamonds and cadillac cars 91 Chicago/East and West Coasts/Southern States: January 1953-February 1954 8. you gonna miss me when i'm gone lIS Chicago/The South and East: February-Fall 1954 9. roller coaster 133 Chicago/Alexandria, Louisiana/Boston/Chicago: Fall 1954-Fall 1955 10. i've had myfun ISS Chicago/The South/Chicago: I)ecernber1955-I)ecernber1957 1I. crazy mixed up world 177 Chicago and On the Road: January 1958-Auturnn 1959 12. i ain't broke, i'm badly bent 2°3 Chicago: Fall 1959-February 1963 13. back in the alley 225 Chicago/London/San Francisco/Boston: Winter 1963-Fall 1966 14. mean old world 251 Chicago/EuropeIUK/Chicago: Fall 1966-February 1968 epilogue 275 1968-Present chronological recordings 285 sources and notes 297 bibliography 3°3 index 3°7 acknowledgments This book has been the result of many people's contributions and efforts.The following gave generously of their time and memories to help paint a picture of the elusive subject:Joyce DeShay Anderson, Billy Boy Arnold, Latelle Barton, Carey Bell, Elvin Bishop, John Broven, Rosa (Jacobs) Brown, Joe Lee Bush, Marshall Chess, Francis Clay, Norman Dayron, James DeShay, Marion (Jacobs) Diaz Reacco, Gary Duncan, Honeyboy Edwards, David Freiberg, Fred Glaser, John Goddard, Nick Gravenites, Henry Gray, Bob Hall, Bernie Hayes, Gabriel Hearns, Waver (Glascock) Humphries, Mark Kazinoff, Bob Koester, Sam Lay (who graciously did it again when the tape machine failed), Sam Leviege,Jim Lombardi, Lillian (Jacobs) Marshall, Pops McFar­ lane, Charlie Musslewhite, Dave Myers, Bobby Parker, Ron Polte, Mark Power,Jimmie Lee Robinson, Mattie Rollins, Jessie Mae (Leviege) Sampson, Paul Shapiro, Hugh Smith, Walter "Guitar Red" Smith, Abu Talib (Freddie Robinson), Marguerite (Glas­ cock) Wallace, Bill Warren, Frank Weston, Sylvia (Glascock) Williams, Armilee Williams, Jody Williams, and ValWilmer. Several researchers and authors kindly shared unpublished interviews from their files: Bob Corritore (Henry Gray, Luther Tucker); Steve Cushing, excerpts from his radio interviews (Uncle Johnny Williams, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Willie Smith, John Brim); Robert Gordon (check out his biography, "Can't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters"); Paul Oliver, (Dave Myers, James Cotton); Bill Green­ smith (Dave Myers); and Karen Hanson (Bobby Rush). Over the years, a number ofpeople furnished xeroxes, provided research assistance, shared photos, tapes, and contact information, and did translations. This work would not have been as complete without their valuable aid. Special thanks to: Mary Katherine Aldin, Alan Balfour, Tom Ball, Scott Baretta, Anthony J. "Tony C" Cabanellas, Randy Chortkoff, Nadine Cohodas, Dennis and Michelle DeShay, Rick Estrin, Bruce Ewan, Les Fancourt, Kim Field, Joe Filisko, Ray Flerlage, Walter Glenn, Bill Greensmith, Steve Guyger, Steve Jacobs, Lex Janssen, Breton Littlehales, Bill McCormick, Andy McKaie, Bob Margolin, Lillian Marshall, Mark Naftalin, Justin O'Brien, Paul Oscher, Jim O'Neal, Bert Van Oortmarssen, Eric Peltonimi, Robert Palinic, Victor Perlin, Jerry Portnoy,Tom Principato, Robert Pruter, Mattie Rollins,Jay B. Ross and Associates, director ofLittle Walter rights ofpublicity, Mike Rowe, Dick Shurman, Willie Smith, William Strauss, Dave Waldman, Charles Walton, Dave Williams, and Winslow Yerka. VI blues with afeeling Lastly, thanks to Richard Carlin, our editor at Routledge for his dogged determina­ tion to keep the primary focus on Little Walter. His sharp eye and sharper pencils helped lash our thoughts into their final form. It was a pleasure debating the worth of words with him. -The Authors Personal appreciations Thanks to Kevin Loucks for supplying functional PCs when previous machines crashed and burned; Pete Lee, ofKFAI-FM Minneapolis-St. Paul for tracking down Walter's jazz and root influences and sources, loaning tapes and vinyl, as well as offering sugges­ tions on the ms; Peter Guralnick for his wise and detailed business counsel and connections to sources; and most of all to my wife Cyd Nadler, for suggesting the project in the first place, then nurturing it, reading and editing the preliminary drafts, and general patience above and beyond the wildest hopes a writer could muster. -Tony Glover Thanks to my wife Michelle and daughter Katie, for unwavering encouragement, understanding and patience, and to everyone who offered help and direction along the way. -Scott Dirks Thanks to Alicia Grimes, who willingly put up with almost four continuous years ofmy research and writing about Little Walter-for constant inspiration, companionship and good counsel. Thanks to Nadine Cohodas, Jan Mark Wolkin, and Tom Ellis III, who as writers and as friends have continually supported and aided my research efforts. Thanks to Breton Littlehales for innumerable services to this project, and to William Strauss, Charlie Sayles, Bruce Ewan, Pierre Beauregard, and Anthony Cabanellas for their moral support, advice, and assistance. -Ward Gaines acknowledgments VII Thanks to thefollowing book publishers: Billboard Books, an imprint of Watson-Guptill Publications, New York for excerpt from ''AllThe Rage" by Ian McLagan. © Ian MacLagan, 2000. Used by permission. Chicago Review Press for excerpts from "The World Don't Owe Me Nothing" by David Honeyboy Edwards © 1997 by David Edwards, Janis Martinson and Michael Robert Frank. Used by permission of Chicago Review Press Incorporated. Thanks to thefollowing musicpublishersfor allowing us to quotefrom thefollowing songs: "Black Gal" by John Lee Williamson © Berwick Music Corp. Used by permission. "Can't Hold Out Much Longer" by Walter Jacobs © 1970Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "You're So Fine" by Walter Jacobs © 1953 (Renewed) Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Come Back Baby" by Walter Jacobs © 1995Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Last Night" by Walter Jacobs © 1954(Renewed) Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permis­ sion. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "You Better Watch Yourself" by Walter Jacobs © 1959 (Renewed) Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Can't Stop Lovin' You"by Walter Jacobs © 1995Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permis­ sion. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Just A Feeling" by Walter Jacobs © 1956 (Renewed) Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "One of these Mornings" by Walter Jacobs © 1995 Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Blue and Lonesome" by Walter Jacobs © 1969 Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permis­ sion. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Break It Up" by Walter Jacobs © 1995 Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Everything Gonnna Be Alright" by Walter Jacobs © 1959Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "I Love You So (Oh Baby)" by Walter Jacobs and Willie Dixon © 1965 (Renewed) Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Boom Boom Out Go the Lights" by Stanley Lewis © 1957 (Renewed) Arc Music Corpo­ ration. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "What Have I Done" by James Lane © 1997 Arc Music Corporation Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "It's Too Late Brother" by Al Duncan © 1956(Renewed) Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Be Careful What You Do a/k/a Be Careful" byJohn Brim © 1968Arc Music Corporation. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Who" by Bernard Roth © 1957 (Renewed) Sunflower Music, Inc. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Good Evening Everybody" by Willie Williamson © 1976 Sunflower Music, Inc. Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. "Too Late" © 1955, ® 1983. "I'm Ready" © 1954, ® 1982. Vlll blues with afeeling "Close to You" © 1958, ®1986. "Crazy Mixed Up World" © 1959 ®1987. "I Don't Play" © 1970, ®1998. "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" © 1964, ® 1985. All songs written by Willie Dixon. Published by Hoochie Coochie Music/Administered by BUG. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (Controlled 100 percent). "I Love You So" a/k/a "Oh Baby" © 1965, ® 1983. Written by Willie Dixon and Walter Jacobs. Published by Hoochie Coochie Music/Administered by BUG/ARC MUSIC Inc. All rights reserved, used by permission. "I Can't Be Satisfied" © 1959,®1987.