Even an overlooked diamond from Ol' Hank's prolific pen is worth an immediate hearing. And when he grabbed hold of someone else's material and gave it a personalized reading, he elevated it noticeably, …

From 1947 to 1952, when Williams ruled the hillbilly hit parade, Hank clicked with the country faithful nearly every single time out. These aren't quite as well known as his biggest hits, but they're e …

They called him the Hillbilly Shakespeare, so prolific and progressive was his songwriting ability. Hank warbled mournful ballads, kick-up-your-heels romps, and redemptive spirituals as he packed a who …

Born Chester Arthur Bennett in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Howlin' Wolf deserves to have his likeness on the Mount Rushmore of Rock 'n' Roll, alongside those of Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Ch …

That gruff, growly voice. The plaintive, animal cry. The music of Howlin' Wolf is instantly recognizable, as are its precedents - a mixture of folk, country, gospel, R&B, and down South blues. A nice-s …

Songs like "The Back Door Wolf," boasting a squawking Eddie Shaw tenor sax solo, and "My Mind Is Ramblin'," with its Jimmy Reed skiffle carved out by guitarist Hubert Sumlin, show that Howlin' Wolf cou …

Howlin' Wolf's path, from the Mississippi to Memphis to Chicago to London, virtually shadows rock 'n' roll's own geographic journey from the '40s and '50s through the '60s and '70s. It went something l …

Made this mix late last night during a bout of insomnia... I find it a bit unnerving that I was actually burning a CD by a band whose name translates as 'Collapsing New Buildings' maybe an hour before  …