A crater on Mercury was named in his honor in 2016 by the International Astronomical Union.
His first recordings were made in the early 1940s, leading to his rise as a prominent blues artist.
Muddy Waters was known for his powerful voice and skillful guitar and harmonica playing.
Biography
Early Life
Muddy Waters, born McKinley Morganfield on April 4, 1913, in Mississippi, was raised by his grandmother, Della Grant, after his mother passed away shortly after his birth. He earned the nickname "Muddy" due to his love for playing in the muddy waters of Deer Creek. His musical journey began in church, where he developed a passion for music that would later define his life. Muddy taught himself to play harmonica and began performing locally in his teens, eventually moving to Chicago in the 1940s to pursue a career in music.
Career
Muddy Waters became a pivotal figure in the post-World War II blues scene, often hailed as the "father of modern Chicago blues." His career took off after recording sessions with Alan Lomax in the early 1940s, which led to his first releases, including "Down on Stovall's Plantation." Waters' music blended traditional Delta blues with electric instrumentation, resulting in iconic albums such as "Mannish Boy," "Folk Singer," and "Electric Mud." Over his career, he received numerous accolades, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Personal Life and Legacy
Muddy Waters was married twice, first to Mabel Berry and later to Geneva Wade, with whom he had several children. He passed away on April 30, 1983, from heart failure and cancer-related complications. His legacy endures through tributes in Chicago, including "Honorary Muddy Waters Drive" and a mural celebrating his contributions to music. In 2023, he was ranked number 72 on Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time, solidifying his status as a blues legend.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Live the Life2008
- 1.Been a Long, Long Time4:24
- 2.Look Under My Bed4:27
- 3.Tribute to Martin Luther King4:40
- 4.Sarah Street6:24
- 5.Worried Life Blues4:00
- 6.Kansas City4:12
- 7.Tin Pan Alley7:30
- 8.5 Long Years7:32
- 9.Live the Life I Love3:22
- 10.I Wanna Go Home6:00
- 11.Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had3:38
- 12.High Rising4:37
- 13.Everything's Gonna Be Alright2:10
- 14.What's on Your Worried Mind2:27
- 15.Mean Old Train3:04
- 16.My Baby Left Me2:55
King Bee1981
- 1.I'm a King Bee3:51
- 2.Too Young to Know4:31
- 3.Mean Old Frisco Blues3:46
- 4.Forever Lonely4:34
- 5.I Feel Like Going Home3:44
- 6.Champagne & Reefer4:37
- 7.Sad Sad Day5:25
- 8.(My Eyes) Keep Me in Trouble3:19
- 9.Deep Down in Florida #24:10
- 10.No Escape From the Blues2:04
I’m Ready1978
- 1.I’m Ready3:25
- 2.33 Years5:18
- 3.Who Do You Trust4:59
- 4.Copper Brown4:56
- 5.I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man3:58
- 6.Mamie5:35
- 7.Rock Me3:53
- 8.Screamin’ and Cryin’5:05
- 9.Good Morning Little Schoolgirl3:21
Hard Again1977
- 1.Mannish Boy5:17
- 2.Bus Driver7:45
- 3.I Want To Be Loved2:22
- 4.Jealous Hearted Man4:23
- 5.I Can't Be Satisfied3:29
- 6.The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock & Roll (#2)3:35
- 7.Deep Down In Florida5:24
- 8.Crosseyed Cat6:00
- 9.Little Girl7:07
The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album1975
- 1.Why Are People Like That3:35
- 2.Going Down to Main Street3:57
- 3.Born With Nothing5:20
- 4.Caledonia6:14
- 5.Funny Sounds4:32
- 6.Love, Deep as the Ocean5:10
- 7.Let the Good Times Roll5:13
- 8.Kansas City5:09
London Revisited1974
- 1.Hard Days3:15
- 2.Highway 417:19
- 3.I Almost Lost My Mind4:50
- 4.Lovin' Man4:35
- 5.Goin' Down Slow5:50
- 6.The Killing Floor5:15
- 7.I Want To Have A Word With You4:05
“Unk” in Funk1974
- 1.Rollin' and Tumblin'7:28
- 2.Just to Be With You3:55
- 3.Electric Man3:10
- 4.Trouble No More2:40
- 5."Unk" in Funk3:22
- 6.Drive My Blues Away2:48
- 7.Katie3:04
- 8.Waterboy Waterboy4:00
- 9.Everything Gonna Be Alright3:35
Can’t Get No Grindin’1973
- 1.Can't Get No Grindin' (What's the Matter with the Meal)2:51
- 2.Mother's Bad Luck Child5:01
- 3.Funky Butt2:57
- 4.Sad Letter4:19
- 5.Someday I'm Gonna Ketch You3:17
- 6.Love Weapon4:09
- 7.Garbage Man2:44
- 8.After Hours3:54
- 9.Whiskey Ain't No Good4:40
- 10.Muddy Waters' Shuffle2:19
The London Muddy Waters Sessions1972
- 1.Blind Man Blues3:33
- 2.Key to the Highway2:28
- 3.Young Fashioned Ways4:26
- 4.I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town3:57
- 5.Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man When I'm Gone5:05
- 6.Walkin' Blues3:05
- 7.I'm Ready4:11
- 8.Sad Sad Day5:21
- 9.I Don't Know Why4:00
Chicago Bound1970
Tracklist not collected yet.
Fathers and Sons1969
- 1.All Aboard2:50
- 2.Mean Disposition5:42
- 3.Blow Wind Blow3:35
- 4.Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had3:03
- 5.Walkin' Thru the Park3:07
- 6.Forty Days and Forty Nights3:04
- 7.Standin' Round Cryin'4:00
- 8.I'm Ready3:33
- 9.Twenty Four Hours4:46
- 10.Sugar Sweet2:16
- 11.Long Distance Call6:35
- 12.Baby Please Don't Go3:05
- 13.Honey Bee3:57
- 14.The Same Thing6:00
- 15.Got My Mojo Working (Part One)3:39
- 16.Got My Mojo Working (Part Two)5:33
After the Rain1969
- 1.I Am the Blues4:43
- 2.Ramblin' Mind4:48
- 3.Rollin' and Tumblin'4:53
- 4.Bottom of the Sea5:28
- 5.Honey Bee4:18
- 6.Blues and Trouble4:24
- 7.Hurtin' Soul4:40
- 8.Screamin' and Cryin'5:02
Electric Mud1968
Tracklist not collected yet.
Super Blues1967
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Super Super Blues Band1967
Tracklist not collected yet.
Muddy, Brass and the Blues1966
Tracklist not collected yet.
Down on Stovall’s Plantation1966
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Real Folk Blues1966
Tracklist not collected yet.
Folk Singer1964
Tracklist not collected yet.
Muddy Waters Sings Big Bill Broonzy1960
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Best of Muddy Waters1958
Tracklist not collected yet.
Blues Legend
Tracklist not collected yet.
Muddy Waters
Tracklist not collected yet.
Mannish Boy1988
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Real Folk Blues
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Testament Records
- Record label
- Chess Records
- Record label
- Aristocrat Records
Achievements
- Award
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- Award
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Groups
- Son Simms Fourcurrent
- The Muddy Waters Bandcurrent
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: McKinley Morganfield, Morgan Field, Muddy Maters
McKinley Morganfield, better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician who was an important figure in the post-World War II blues scene, and is often cited as the "father of modern Chicago blues".
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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