This trivia article was originally posted for Howlin' Wolf's birthday on June 10th, 2024.
1)
Howlin’ Wolf was born Chester Arthur Burnett on June 10th, 1910 in White Station, Mississippi. Burnett grew up on the Young & Morrow Cotton Plantation near Ruleville. His grandfather would tell him and his siblings stories of the wolves in the area.
2) Howlin’ Wolf spent two and a half years in the US Army, as part of the 9th Cavalry Regiment -- the famous "Buffalo Soldiers." When the units disbanded in 1944, Wolf officially became the last of the Buffalo Soldiers.
3) When The Rolling Stones were the hottest ticket the world and every American TV show was dying to be one who hosted their first TV appearance in the states, the band insisted that
they would only perform if Howlin' Wolf opened for them. "So its about time you shut up and we let Howlin Wolf on stage" - The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones during that Television Debut
4) Sam Cooke covered Howlin Wolf's "Little Red Rooster" a year after it's release, and two years after, The Rolling Stones made it a #1 hit in the UK.
5) The "rivalry" between Howlin' Wolf & Muddy Waters was much more of a friendship than dramatics have suggested. While the two bluesmen & label mates were certainly competitive by nature, it was from mutual respect, admiration and a drive to make the best music. In fact, the two released albums together more than once -- A duet album called
Muddy & The Wolf in 1974, and the
Super Super Blues Band with Bo Diddley in 1968.
6) As A&R man for Sun Records, Ike Turner produced Howlin’ Wolf’s first songs -- “How Many More Years,” and, “Moanin’ at Midnight,” which became the Wolf’s first two hits after being sold to Chess Records in Chicago.
7) Born to sharecroppers in Jim Crow-era Mississippi, Howlin' Wolf was illiterate into his 40s, but he studied on his own, earned his GED and eventually became a non-traditional college student. Coming full circle, in 1972 Wolf received an honorary doctor of arts degree from Chicago's prestigious Columbia College.
8) Contrary to popular opinion, Howlin’ Wolf was happy the young British and American rock bands were covering his songs -- as long as they paid him fairly. He had to sue Led Zeppelin for royalties on their covers of his songs.
9) During his final performance, blues man Howlin' Wolf, flanked by B.B. King, Albert King, O. V. Wright, and Luther Allison, received a five minute standing ovation from the crowd, and then died side-stage and had to be revived by paramedics.
10) The founder of Sun Records, Sam Phillips, may have discovered Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, but the Sun legend still insisted that Howlin' Wolf was the greatest discovery of his life.
In fact, because Sam didn't have a record label at the time, he had to refer Wolf up to Chess Records in Chicago. Because of that loss, the visionary opened Sun Records, making music history. "When I heard Howlin' Wolf, I said: 'This is for me. This is where the soul of man never dies." - Sam Philips.
11)
Bonus Trivia -- Howlin' Wolf actually set up retirement funds & health benefits for the members of his band!
