[ Buyer ]
Big Bill Morganfield
 With his latest releas
e, Big Bill Morganfield affirms that
the blues is indeed in his blood. The appropriately titled "Blues In
The Blood" is proof positive that he inherited more than just a regal
blues pedigree and a wonderfully menacing baritone voice from his father –
McKinley
Morganfield, better known as Muddy Waters
.
As the son of one of the most
influential musicians of the 20th Century, Bill rises to the challenge of
meeting many of the burdensome expectations placed upon him. 'Blues In The
Blood" documents the full maturation of Bill’s musical skills as a
guitarist and songwriter and certifies that he is now a major talent in his own
right.
Born in
Chicago
in 1956, Morganfield was raised by his grandmother in
southern
Florida
and now resides in the
Atlanta
area. "Daddy always wished that one of his kids
would follow him and play music," says Bill. "A few years after he
died, I bought myself a guitar and started playing a bit. In my mind, I said I
want to do a tribute to him. But it was years before I got a chance to do
anything. I kind of locked myself away for about six years and taught
myself." He became stage-struck after performing with
Lonnie Mack on
Atlanta
’s Center Stage before a crowd of a thousand people. "I
sang and played and the people went crazy. I was dancing around like a jumping
bean. I realized I’ve got a love for this." He first formed a band that
played contemporary blues but that lasted only three months. He was unhappy
with the sound of the music "so I dedicated myself to playing at a higher
level." He retreated to his room to devote his energy to perfecting his
guitar playing and sharpening his raw but undeniable talent. In the meantime,
he used his bachelor’s degrees in English from
Tuskegee
University
and Communications from
Auburn
University
to make a living as a teacher while he learned to
play traditional blues. He spent countless hours methodically studying, ripping
apart, and reconstructing songs. Immersing himself in this work, Bill learned
the art of songwriting.
In 1999 Big Bill’s debut
recording, Rising Son, was cut in
Chicago
, where his father recorded many classic sides. The
album was produced by Muddy’s long time guitarist,
Bob Margolin
, who also played on the record.
Three other former members of the Muddy Waters Blues Band also joined Bill in
the studio: Willie "Big Eyes" Smith on drums, Paul Oscher on
harmonica and Pinetop Perkins on piano. Bill said of the sessions, "It was
so inspiring playing with these musicians. Working with them in the studio was
a special experience. They really brought out the best in me; those sessions
left me with memories I’ll never
forget."
Perhaps the most gratifying acknowledgment of
all came when Bill won the 2000 W. C. Handy Award for "Best New Blues
Artist," the equivalent of a Grammy Award in the blues world.
Bill returned to
Chicago
in 2001 to make his sophomore recording, Ramblin’
Mind. Producer Dick Shurman said, "Working with Bill was a dream. He’s a
great combination of talent, dedication & heredity." One highlight of
the recording experience was when Big Bill teamed up with Taj Mahal to trade
impressive vocal and guitar licks on two tracks. Of "Strong Man
Holler," an original song that Taj wrote exclusively for the project, the
Chicago Tribune remarked, "...it’s eerie, as if his father and Howlin’
Wolf had never left."Billboard called Ramblin’ Mind
"a vital step toward the blues credibility he seeks...Morganfield shows
that his blues have their own depth."
Added Blues Revue,
"Ramblin Mind goes a long way toward earning McKinley Morganfield’s son
loads of respect."
Entertainment Weekly said,
"
Chicago
blues is a powerful force in the right hands, which,
in this case, belong to the son of Muddy Waters. The comparisons are
inevitable, but the big man is up to the challenge."
"Blues In The Blood"
was co-produced by Jimmy Vivino and Brian Bisesi, who was the road manager and
a member of the Muddy Waters Band. Bill, who blocked off some time from his
busy touring schedule to write and prepare for the recording, said,
"I felt that I really
had to carry this one myself, so I worked hard to make it good. Musically, it’s
heavily rooted in Delta blues, but in a modern way. It represents where I’m at
now in my journey."
"Blues In The
Blood" fulfills the promise of greatness displayed in his debut
recording. It not only features Bill’s distinctive, window-rattling voice and
scintillating slide guitar, but also
showcases him as a songwriter, with all the songs having been penned by
Morganfield except for one Muddy Waters cover. Co-producer Bisesi said, "I
was so impressed by how much Bill’s songwriting skills have improved. It was
obvious that he’s deep into these songs, that they
are close to him. As he said to me, ‘I want people to know I got this in
me.’"
|
