Howlin' Wolf
Howlin’ Wolf, born Chester Arthur Burnett on June 10, 1910, in White Station, Mississippi, was an influential American blues singer and composer. Raised on a cotton plantation, he was exposed to traditional regional music from an early age. He began his professional singing career in the 1920s and 1930s, performing in small clubs across Mississippi. Influenced by blues legends such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Charley Patton, Burnett developed a powerful, guttural voice that became his signature.
In the 1940s, Burnett relocated to Arkansas, where he formed a group that included future blues stars James Cotton and Little Junior Parker. His first hit record, “Moanin’ at Midnight,” was released in 1951, prompting his move to Chicago. There, alongside Muddy Waters, he helped transform the acoustic Mississippi Delta blues into an electrified urban sound. His music, characterized by brooding lyrics and an aggressive stage presence, included notable songs like “Smokestack Lightnin’,” “Dog Me Around,” and “Killing Floor.”
Howlin’ Wolf's influence extended beyond blues audiences, impacting British and American rock musicians of the 1960s and 1970s, including the Rolling Stones. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. Howlin’ Wolf passed away on January 10, 1976, in Hines, Illinois, leaving behind a legacy as a principal exponent of the Chicago urban blues style.
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