Blind Dog Radio

Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live by Muddy Waters

Label: Blue Sky Records.
Release Date: 1979.
Recording Time: 39 minutes.
Recording Date: March 18, 1977 - August 26, 1978.
Releases: 1989 (Sony Music Distribution), 2003 (Legacy / Epic/Legacy), 2008 (Sbme Special Mkts.), 2011 (JDC Records), 2014 (Friday Music), 2015 (Music On Vinyl).

Recording Information: Harry Hope's, Cary, IL; Masonic Auditorium, Detroit, MI; 03/18/1977-08/26/1978.

Styles: Chicago Blues, Electric Blues, Electric Chicago Blues, Regional Blues, Slide Guitar Blues, Delta Blues.

Accompanied by Johnny Winter and his band, Muddy Waters turns in an enthusiastic performance on Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live. The set list contains most of his biggest hits, and the sound quality and performances are mostly energetic. Still, there's something faintly repetitive about this record. For one thing, there's only one song here, "Deep Down in Florida," that comes from any of Waters' recent albums. All of the others are old standards, which makes this album rather superfluous, since there are equally forceful performances of these cuts elsewhere. It doesn't help any that "Deep Down in Florida" isn't an especially noteworthy song, sounding more like a rewrite of Waters' older, better cuts. Without much in the way of new material, or anything especially notable about the performances, it sometimes comes off as little more than a set of Muddy Waters' greatest hits, with applause as the sole new ingredient. The addition of Johnny Winter is surprisingly unexceptional as well, since Winter fades into the background as much as any other bandmember. None of it is unlistenable, but it's hardly indispensable. Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live is a nice addition to the Muddy Waters catalog, but it's not nearly as essential as his earlier work.
by Victor W. Valdivia

The purpose of this album at the time of its release was to introduce Muddy to a new audience and if you saw the man during this stage of his career, it was a great companion piece to Hard Again & I'm Ready. The fact that Winter didn't try to dominate is one of the strengths of the set. Winter's role in reviving Muddy's career is possibly his most lasting contribution to the blues he loved so much.
by Dan Wilkerson

Rolling Stone (12/25/03, p.112) - Included in Rolling Stone's "Top 10 Reissues of 2003" - "...Electrifying club dates..."
Q (2/04, p.119) - 4 stars out of 5 - "When this excellent set was recorded, Waters was pushing a venerable 64 and he managed to turn all that age and experience to his advantage."

Grammy Awards: 1979, Best Traditional Folk Album incl. Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording.

Personnel: Muddy Waters - slide guitar, vocals; Johnny Winter - guitar (songs 1, 5, 7), additional vocals (song 1); Bob Margolin - guitar; Luther “Guitar Jr.” Johnson - guitar (songs 1, 2, 4, 6); Calvin "Fuzz" Jones - bass (songs 1, 2, 4-6); Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - drums; Pinetop Perkins - piano; Jerry Portnoy - harp (songs 1, 2, 4, 6); James Cotton - harp (songs 3, 5); Charles Calmese - bass (songs 3, 7).

Production staff: Produced - Johnny Winter; Mixing, production consultant and engineer - Dave Still; Mixing assistant - Dave Prentice; Mastering - Greg Calbi; Photography - Jim Marshall; Design - Paula Scher; Mixed at the Schoolhouse and Hit Factory; Location recordings by Metro Audio and Record Plant.

Credits: Charles Calmese - bass; James Cotton - guest artist, harmonica; Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson - guitar; Calvin "Fuzz" Jones - bass; Bob Margolin - guest artist, guitar; Ellas McDaniel - composer; McKinley Morganfield - composer; Pinetop Perkins - piano; Jerry Portnoy - harp; Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - drums, guest artist; Muddy Waters - composer, guitar, primary artist, vocals; Sonny Boy Williamson II - composer; Johnny Winter - guest artist, guitar, producer.

Tracks: 1) Mannish Boy; 2) She's Nineteen Years Old; 3) Nine Below Zero; 4) Streamline Woman; 5) Howling Wolf; 6) Baby Please Don't Go; 7) Deep Down in Florida.

In 2003 the album was reissued as a two-CD set, the second disc including:
1) Medley (After Hours/Stormy Monday Blues); 2) Trouble No More; 3) Champagne and Reefer; 4) Corrina, Corrina; 5) Hoochie Coochie Man; 6) She Moves Me; 7) Kansas City; 8) Pinetop's Boogie Woogie; 9) Mad Love" (I Want You To Love Me); 10) Everything's Gonna Be Alright; 11) Got My Mojo Working.