- Moanin at midnight: the life and times of Howlin Wolf

Copyright 2004 by James Segrest and Mark Hoffman

Foreword copyright 2004 by B. B. King

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Pantheon Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

Pantheon Books and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

A portion previously appeared in Living Blues.

Grateful acknowledgment is made to Bug Music, Inc. for permission to reprint excerpts of the song lyrics from Back Door Man, Down in the Bottom, and Red Rooster written by Willie Dixon. Copyright 1961, 1989 by Hoochie Coochie Music (BMI)/administered by BUG.
Excerpts from the song lyrics Evil and Spoonful written by Willie Dixon. Copyright 1960, 1988 by Hoochie Coochie Music (BMI)/administered by BUG. Excerpts from the song lyric I Aint Superstitious written by Willie Dixon. Copyright 1963, 1991 by Hoochie Coochie Music (BMI)/administered by BUG. Excerpts from the song lyric Tail Dragger written by Willie Dixon. Copyright 1964, 1992 by Hoochie Coochie Music (BMI)/administered by BUG.
All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of Bug Music, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Segrest, James, [date]
Moanin at midnight : the life and times of Howlin Wolf / James Segrest and Mark Hoffman.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references ().
eISBN: 978-0-307-83101-9
1. Howlin Wolf, 19101976 2. Blues musiciansUnited StatesBiography. 3. Rock musiciansUnited StatesBiography. I. Hoffman, Mark, [date] II. Title.

ML420.H72S44 2004
781.643092dc22

[B] 2003066365

www.pantheonbooks.com

v3.1

Whos Been Talking?

Reconstructing the life of an artist as complex and mercurial as Howlin Wolf reminded us of the story of the blind men tapping their way around the elephant to try to fathom its mysterious nature. Fortunately, as we stumbled along, often in danger, we had hundreds of guides to help us sound out and make sense of those massive flapping ears, trunk, legs, tail, and, well, the other parts. Youll never know until you attempt a biography like this how very much it is a collaborative effort, and how much you must depend upon the kindness of friends and the witness of strangers to see it through. We could not possibly have written this book without the help of hundreds of generous people, and wed like to thank them all here.

First, wed like to thank the tireless music producer, blues scholar, raconteur, and world-class punster Dick Shurman, without whom this book might never have appeared. Dick could have written this book or maybe even a better one about the Wolf if he wasnt constantly busy producing so many fine blues albums and helping other writers finish their books. Thanks to our agent, Sandra Choron, an unsung hero of rock n roll, who always lifted our spirits with her sage advice. Thanks to Erroll McDonald of Pantheon Books, who had faith enough in this book to see it to print. Thanks to the rest of the team at Pantheon who made the process painless: managing editor Altie Karper, production editor Rita Madrigal, editorial assistant Robin Reardon, and art director Archie Ferguson. Thanks to Peter Guralnick and the late Robert Palmer, whose books about the great blues musicians inspired us to begin writing this one. Thanks to Don McGlynn, Joe Lauro, and Christian Moltke-Leth, who shared stories, contacts, and photos with us during the making of the definitive film about the Wolf, The Howlin Wolf Story. Thanks to Tony Glover, Scott Dirks, and Ward Gaines, authors of Blues with a Feeling: The Little Walter Story; to Robert Gordon, author of Cant Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters; to Nadine Cohodas, author of Spinning Blues into Gold: The Chess Brothers and the Legendary Chess Records; and to Bill Keenom, coauthor of Michael Bloomfield: If You Love These Blues, all of whom shared information with us and set a standard of excellence that we tried to match. Extra special thanks from James to Marvin Flemmons for his warm friendship and generous hospitality, which made much of the research for this book possible. Special thanks from Mark to Cheryl Lockwood, who accompanied him on his fateful first foray into the Delta so many years ago. Thanks from James to Elvira Adams, Worth Proffitt, Felicia Woodson, Robert Gee, Bill Steber, James Fraher, Larry Hoffman, Mae Smith, Nancy Kossman, Jim Ellis, and Bill Balcerzack for their friendship and encouragement through the many years and ups and downs of this project. Thanks from Mark to Marlee Walker for giving him a forum for ten years and for getting him into so many great blues shows. Thanks from Mark to Judy Guill for putting him up during his research trips to Chicago. Thanks to Dr. Joe Stephens, Jon McDonald, Steve Arvey, and Steve Cohen, who introduced us to people we wanted to meet. Thanks to Adam Gussow, Art Hanlon, Chris Dortch, Emily White, Matt Harris, Pete and Artis Palmer, and Richard Haslop, who read our manuscript and made sound suggestions, and to Vince Cheney, who did vital last-minute fact-checking and research.

Thanks to all the musicians who gave so generously of their time and insights: A. C. Reed, Aaron Moore, Abb Locke, Abu Talib, Albert Vescovo, Andy McKecknie, the late Archie Edwards, Aron Burton, Arthur Williams, B. B. King, Barry Goldberg, the late Big Amos Patton, Big Joe Duskin, Bill Thorndycraft, Billy Boy Arnold, Billy Branch, Billy Davenport, Bo Diddley, Bob Corritore, Bobby Bland, Bobby Rush, Buddy Miles, Byther Smith, Calvin Jones, Candy Shines, Casey Jones, Cash McCall, Charlie Musselwhite, Chico Chism, Chris Barber, Clifton James, Clyde Leoppard, Clyde Stats, Colin Linden, Corky Siegel, Dale Hawkins, Danny Russo, Darlene Love, Dave Kelly, the late Dave Myers, Dave Sproat, Detroit Junior, Dusty Brown, Easy Baby, Eddie C. Campbell, Eddie Clearwater, Eddie Shaw, Ernest Gatewood, Floyd Murphy, Francis Clay, the late Frank Frost, Frank Vick, Fritz Richmond, Gene Barge, Harvey Mandel, Henry Gray, Honeyboy Edwards, Hubert Sumlin, Ian McLagen, Ike Turner, Jerry Portnoy, Jessie Little Wolf Sanders, Jim Dickinson, Jim Rooney, the late Jimmie Lee Robinson, the late Jimmy Rogers, Jody Williams, John Anderson, the late John Brim, John Dummer, John Hammond, Jr., the late John Lee Hooker, John Stephan, the late Johnny Littlejohn, the late Johnny Shines, Johnny Williams, Kim Field, Koko Taylor, Lacy Gibson, Larry Johnson, Lee Eggleston, Lee Shot Williams, Lester Davenport, Little Arthur Duncan, Little Hudson Showers, the late Little Mack Simmons, Little Smokey Smothers, Long John Baldry, Lucky Lopez, Malcolm Yelvington, Mark Kazanoff, Mark Naftalin, Mary Lane, the late Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis, Melvin Peterson, Mick Clarke, the late Mighty Joe Young, Monroe Jones, Necktie Nate Haggins, Nick Charles, Nick Gravenites, the late Oliver Sain, Pat Ford, Paul Asbell, the late Paul Burlison, Paul Pena, Paul Rishell, Phil Upchurch, Pinetop Perkins, R. L. Burnside, Robert Bilbo Walker, the late Robert Huckleberry Hound Wright, Robert Lockwood, Robert Plunkett, the late Ronnie Hawkins, Ronnie Smith, the late Rosco Gordon, the late S. P. Leary, Sam Andrew, Sam Lay, Sam Mitchell, Sam Myers, Shorty Gilbert, Sonny Blake, Sonny Payne, Stuart Parkes, Sugar Pie DeSanto, T. J. Wheeler, Tail Dragger, Taj Mahal, the late Tommy Bankhead, Tony McPhee, Tot Randolph, Tracy Nelson, Twist Turner, Vaan Shaw, the late Vera Taylor, the late Wade Walton, Wild Child Butler, Willie Kent, Willie King, Willie Mitchell, Willie Young, Wilson Lindsey, and Zora Young.