Eddy Clearwater facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eddy Clearwater
Clearwater at the Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, Massachusetts, April 20, 2008
Background information
Birth name	Edward Harrington
Also known as	Guitar Eddy, Clear Waters, The Chief
Born	(1935-01-10)January 10, 1935 Macon, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	June 1, 2018(2018-06-01) (aged 83) Skokie, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Chicago blues Electric blues
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer
Instruments	Vocals, electric guitar
Years active	1953–2018
Labels	Alligator, Blind Pig, Rounder, Delmark
Associated acts	Carey Bell, Magic Sam, Otis Rush, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Lonnie Brooks, Jimmy Johnson, Billy Branch, Otis Clay

Edward Harrington (born January 10, 1935 – died June 1, 2018) was an American blues musician. He was much better known by his stage name, Eddy Clearwater. He was famous for playing Chicago blues music. People often said he played with great joy and powerful guitar skills. He was also known as a talented songwriter.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Edward Harrington was born in Macon, Mississippi, in 1935. He grew up in Mississippi with his grandmother, who was part Cherokee. In 1948, his family moved to Birmingham, Alabama. He was also a cousin to another blues musician, Carey Bell, who played the harmonica.

Eddy started playing guitar when he was 13 years old. He taught himself to play left-handed and upside down. At first, he performed with gospel music groups. One of these groups was the Five Blind Boys of Alabama.

In 1950, he moved to Chicago. There, he continued to play gospel music. Later, he learned more about blues music. He worked with other famous blues artists like Magic Sam and Otis Rush.

A Career in Chicago Blues

Eddy Clearwater became very active in the Chicago blues music scene. This was in the 1950s and continued for many years. He performed all over the United States, especially in the Chicago area. He also played at blues festivals in many countries. These included France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

His music was known for its "hard-driving" Chicago blues sound. It also had touches of soul, country blues, and gospel music. People enjoyed his energetic guitar playing.

When he first arrived in Chicago in 1950, he worked as a dishwasher. He lived with his uncle, who helped him meet many Chicago blues masters. These included Otis Rush and Magic Sam. Eddy was inspired by the music of Chuck Berry. He started playing Berry's songs and writing his own music in a similar style.

In 1953, he began playing regularly in Chicago's bars. At this time, he was known as Guitar Eddy. His first song, "Hill Billy Blues," was recorded in 1958. His booking agent, Armand "Jump" Jackson, gave him a new name: Clear Waters. This was a fun play on the name of the famous blues musician Muddy Waters.

He recorded a few more songs that were played on local radio. Over time, the name Clear Waters changed to Eddy Clearwater. He kept performing steadily through the 1960s and 1970s. He was one of the first blues musicians to become popular with college students in Chicago. He often played at the Kingston Mines club on Saturdays.

Eddy toured Europe twice in the 1970s. He even appeared on BBC Television. He earned the nickname The Chief. Sometimes, he would perform wearing a Native American headdress.

Albums and Recognition

Eddy Clearwater in 1978

In 1980, Eddy Clearwater released his album The Chief. This album helped him become even more famous in the Chicago blues scene. He released more successful albums later, like Help Yourself (1992) and Mean Case of the Blues (1996).

Other albums included Cool Blues Walk (1998) and Reservation Blues (2000). In 2004, he was nominated for a Grammy Award. This was for his album Rock 'n' Roll City, which he made with the band Los Straitjackets.

His 2008 album, West Side Strut, was released by Alligator Records. Vintage Guitar magazine praised it, saying Eddy had amazing control of his guitar. They wondered why he wasn't as famous as other blues legends like Freddie King and Otis Rush.

Later Life and Legacy

Eddy Clearwater was first married to Earlean Harrington. He was a stepfather to her son, Daryl Thompson. Later, he married his manager, Renee Greenman. For a while, they owned a blues bar and restaurant in Chicago called Reservation Blues. Eddy often performed there, along with other blues artists.

He had two sons named Jason and Edgar. In 1997, Eddy had successful heart bypass surgery.

For many years, Eddy lived in Skokie, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The mayor of Skokie even declared January 6 as Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater Day.

Eddy Clearwater passed away at his home in Skokie on June 1, 2018. He was 83 years old and died from heart failure.

Discography

• Black Night (1979)
• The Chief (1980)
• Two Times Nine (1981)
• Flimdoozie (1986)
• Blues Hang Out (1989)
• Real Good Time: Live! (1990)
• Help Yourself (1992)
• Live at The Kingston Mines, 1978 (1992)
• Boogie My Blues Away (1995)
• Mean Case of the Blues (1996)
• Cool Blues Walk (1998)
• Chicago Blues Session, vol. 23 (1998)
• Chicago Daily Blues (1999)
• Reservation Blues (2000)
• Rock 'n' Roll City, with Los Straitjackets (2003)
• West Side Strut (Alligator Records, 2008)
• Soul Funky, with Ronnie Baker Brooks and Billy Branch (Cleartone, 2014)

See also

• Chicago Blues Festival
• List of Chicago blues musicians
• List of electric blues musicians
• San Francisco Blues Festival