RE: [Harp-L] Howling Wolf

["Bill Hines" <billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just watched the 11am showing of this Wolf documentary. It was great.
The footage of Wolf berating a drunk Son House (who was
heckling/interfering at this particular videotaped session) saying
things like "You had yours and you didn't do nothing with it" and "you
only liked one thing and that was your whiskey" was very sad and
striking. Some great footage of the Wolf playing though. What a great
man, a real business-like guy that took his music seriously and educated
himself late in life (someone in his band comments on how he would have
his glasses on and schoolbooks open backstage during breaks when he was
in his fifties!)

If anyone is interested, it airs again at 8pm eastern tonight and then
at 5:30am or something. Check your cable listings, I didn't even know I
got this channel since I don't subscribe to premium stuff. I guess it's
a free one.

PS I was also watching the new live-aid dvd a few days ago just to see
Albert Collins' surprise performance with George Thorogood, and was
caught by surprise by Chrissy Hynde's harp solo on Middle of the Road. I
forgot about that. While I was on a roll, I popped in the Last Waltz to
catch Butterfield on Mystery Train.

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Joe and Cass Leone
Sent: Saturday, December 11, 2004 9:29 AM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Howling Wolf

On Dec 10, 2004, at 10:39 PM, Larry Haston wrote:

> Joe and Cass Leone wrote:
>
>>> Do you know what network that's on? The channel numbers in my area 
>>> are probably different.
>
> It was on the True Stories channel.

Yes, True Stories East. I also have True Stories West. It will be 
repeated this week.

>   Immediately after the show ended, I checked Amazon and the same show
> is available on  DVD for about 15 bucks.

  Of course, we could always slip in a video tape :0  As Tom Albanese 
said repititious listening to him is where it's at. I'm gonna try 
really hard to catch it again. It's almost worth the price just to see 
the serious look on Sam Phillip's face. (Not to mention the Chess 
kid...who seems to NEVER comb his hair :)

>    What I loved most about Wolf was his 2 hole draw vibrato, like
> nobody else.

  When you say "2 hole" are we talking about TWO holes or the NUMBER 2 
hole?

>  I was impressed to hear that after a lifetime as a musician, he took
> music lessons and learned to read and write when he was in his 
> fifties.  I always liked his music but after seeing the documentary, I

> felt a new respect for him as a person.

  He certainly didn't have a "bad guy" image. Quite the contrary. It 
seems as if he was always looking out for his guys and even went so far 
as to provide as best he could for job security/workman's insurance? 
MAN, when the hell did we ever hear of THAT before?

As a long  long time advocate of the "Delta" style (as opposed to the 
Chicago style), I found it refreshing that he stayed true to his roots 
and wouldn't sell out by going for the more commercial sell. Now, wait 
a minute, before anyone starts tossing pies. It's not that I don't like 
Chi., I just like Delta better. It's more "laconic".

When I was hoboing around the country back in "60" and gravitated to 
the NOLA/Baton Rouge area, while working in a ship repair yard, I got 
to hear a lot of wonderful old timers. Unfortunately, Howling wasn't 
one of them as he had already gone north.

  JoJo
>

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