By anyone’s standards Chester Arthur Burnett–the man better known as Howlin’ Wolf–led a colorful life. But for first-time authors James Segrest and Mark Hoffman, who’ve just published a biography of the legendary singer and harpist, the most remarkable aspect of his story was that no one had put it to paper before.
Segrest went to the library to read up on Wolf, but all he could find were threadbare anecdotes and bits of boilerplate in blues survey books. In the early 90s his work on what would become Moanin’ at Midnight began in earnest: by then he was pursuing a PhD at the University of South Carolina, and he made Wolf the subject of his dissertation. He eventually burned out and abandoned his degree program, but not until after he’d researched Wolf’s early years in Mississippi and Arkansas and spent six weeks in Chicago, which had become the bluesman’s home in 1953, talking to his family, friends, and former colleagues. (Wolf himself died in 1976, at age 65.)
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Wolf’s theatrical onstage style–much of it learned from early mentor Charlie Patton–had a tremendous impact on the blues. “Wolf was one of the first guys–at least in Chicago–who really concentrated on the show, on giving a performance,” says Segrest. Whereas Muddy Waters radiated a detached, urbane cool, Wolf was a feral, menacing presence, unhinged and restless. His outrageous antics with women in the audience required him to make haste after more than one gig, with a crowd of angry husbands and boyfriends on his tail. “When you find out some of the stories about him you have to wonder if Wolf was reckless or fearless or a bit of both,” says Segrest, laughing.
Segrest and Hoffman have scheduled a series of appearances in Chicago, including a 5 PM panel discussion at the Chicago Blues Festival’s Route 66 Roadhouse stage on Thursday, June 10 (Wolf’s 94th birthday), a stop at Rosa’s Lounge at 9 that night, and a 9:30 brunch reading and book signing at Jazz Record Mart on Sunday, June 13.
