On December 4,2011, the blues world lost one of its leading lights and visionary guitarists when Hubert Sumlin, age 80, passed away in Wayne, New Jersey. Hubert was best known for his incredibly...
On December 4,2011, the blues world lost one of its leading lights and visionary guitarists when Hubert Sumlin, age 80, passed away in Wayne, New Jersey. Hubert was best known for his incredibly influential guitar work while performing and recording with Howlin’ Wolf. He joined forces with the blues giant in Chicago in 1954, when Sumlin was 23 years old, and continued to work with him until Wolf’s death in 1976. Though Sumlin also played briefly with Muddy Waters, he will always be remembered as the rail-like figure playing bursts of signature rhythm guitar and lead lines next to the hulking Wolf, who, in many ways, was like a father to Hubert.
Sumlin was born in Greenwood, Mississippi, and raised in Hughes, Arkansas. He first met Wolf when, as a boy, he snuck into one of Wolf’s shows. In 1953, Wolf asked Sumlin to replace guitarist Willie Johnson in his band. Sumlin’s signature crystal clear tone and adventurous playing style made its mark onHowlin’ Wolf’s first two Chess albums, 1959’s Moanin’ in the Moonlight and 1962’s Howlin’ Wolf.
Deeply respected by everyone from Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Buddy Guy to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Sumlin had an influence on music that is guaranteed for years to come. He was listed at Number 43 on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, and Howlin’ Wolf is widely regarded as one of the top five greatest blues albums ever recorded.
The standard musical structure of Chicago electric blues most often features two guitars, one of whom lays down a primary rhythmic, or bass line-like, part, while the other adds melodic fills and signature single-note phrases. Such was the case with Howlin’