Hubert Sumlin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hubert Sumlin
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Sumlin performing at the 2003 Long Beach Blues Festival
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Hubert Charles Sumlin |
| Born | November 16, 1931 Greenwood, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | December 4, 2011 (aged 80) Wayne, New Jersey |
| Genres | Chicago blues, electric blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1953–2011 |
Hubert Charles Sumlin (born November 16, 1931 – died December 4, 2011) was a famous Chicago blues guitarist and singer. He was best known for his unique guitar playing in Howlin' Wolf's band. His style included "shattering bursts of notes" and surprising silences. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 43 on their list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time."
Contents
About Hubert Sumlin
Early Life and Musical Start
Hubert Sumlin was born in Greenwood, Mississippi. He grew up in Hughes, Arkansas. He received his first guitar when he was eight years old. As a young boy, he met the legendary blues musician Howlin' Wolf. Hubert snuck into one of Wolf's performances to see him play.
Playing with Howlin' Wolf
In 1953, Howlin' Wolf moved from Memphis to Chicago. His guitarist at the time, Willie Johnson, did not join him. In Chicago, Wolf first hired another guitarist named Jody Williams. But in 1954, Wolf invited Hubert Sumlin to join his band as a second guitarist.
Williams left the band in 1955. This made Sumlin the main guitarist for Howlin' Wolf. He stayed in this role for almost all of Wolf's career. For a short time around 1956, Sumlin played with Muddy Waters. Sumlin said that Howlin' Wolf even sent him to a classical guitar teacher. This was at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. He learned about keyboards and music scales there.
Sumlin played on the famous album Howlin' Wolf. This album is sometimes called the "rocking chair album" because of its cover art. Mojo magazine named it the third greatest guitar album ever in 2004.
Solo Career and Awards
After Howlin' Wolf passed away in 1976, Sumlin continued to play music. He performed with other members of Wolf's band, calling themselves the Wolf Gang. He also started recording music on his own. His first solo recordings were from a tour in Europe with Wolf in 1964.
His last solo album was About Them Shoes, released in 2004. He had surgery that same year for health issues. Despite this, he kept performing until just before he died. His very last recordings were for an album by Stephen Dale Petit called Cracking The Code.
Hubert Sumlin received many honors for his music. He was added to the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 2008. He was nominated for four Grammy Awards. These nominations included his album About Them Shoes, which featured famous musicians like Keith Richards and Eric Clapton. He also won several Blues Music Awards. He even helped judge the Independent Music Awards, which supports new artists.
Later Years and Legacy
Hubert Sumlin lived in Totowa, New Jersey for ten years. He passed away on December 4, 2011, at the age of 80. He died from heart failure in a hospital in Wayne, New Jersey. After his death, famous musicians Mick Jagger and Keith Richards helped pay for his funeral. This showed how much he was respected by other artists.
See also
In Spanish: Hubert Sumlin para niños
