Mud Morganfield – Fathers And Sons
Words by Pete Sargeant
Photo Credit: Supplied By PR
One of the earliest blues shows your scribe took in, many decades ago was by Muddy Waters, with Otis Spann on piano and Paul Oscher on the harp, in Tolworth at The Toby Jug. My misspent youth eh? Now, some fifty years later, here I am talking with one of Muddy’s sons, Mud Morganfield, also known as Muddy Waters Jnr! Soon to play dates in the UK, the blues man gives thoughtful answers in a gentlemanly manner…
Mud, I believe when the music bug bit you, you started out on the bass?
Yeah, Pete…I picked up the bass, started playin’ and ever since that time I have been scratchin’ about on the instrument, playing away and coming up with songs and words to the songs..developing, you might say.
Now when you’re singing, I listen and just every now and again I hear a touch of Barry White…well, maybe somewhere between him and Bill Withers. Must be a BW thang!
You really hear that in me?
Yes, truly
(Laughs) Funny you should mention that because Barry White is probably my favourite singer EVER! Yes indeed – hey now I do like Bill Withers too, he speaks to me, but Barry White..he is THE Man!
I just saw a London Palladium show, a tribute to Barry and featuring Peabo Bryson
Really? Peabo?
Now his voice doesn’t have the sheer depth of White BUT phrasing, performance, he does tick the boxes. You’ve been working on a new record?
Yeah…every now and again, people want to hear me record my favourite songs and put ‘em out.. the record takes off with some blues and then starts travellin’ around – even a soul touch.
I always loved Joe Tex
On the influences, y’know ‘I can’t close off my mind to music and if you should detect maybe jazz in there, or a little reggae or funk, if you catch rhythm and blues, soul, Latin… it’s just what’s made me what I have ended up! (Laughs) Ain’t gonna bump no more, with no big fat woman?? Hey yeah – that IS the stuff! Good ol’ Joe Tex..a lotta fun, a big voice!
Is it true your mother had eight brothers?
Oh yes, a busy lady, always workin’. But that helped me, a lot. When I was young, growin’ up they would show me how to mend a bike tyre, keep a car runnin’ – when Dad was away, touring with the band. That time. Those relatives stepped up to the plate, to help look after me. I guess my mother saw that!
I saw your Dad Muddy Waters a couple of times when I was very young…first time with Otis Spann and Paul Oscher
Hey, I was talkin’ with Paul just last week! He has a new album out, y’know
Yes – it’s come in for review
When I was comin’ up in younger days, I was really digging all the Motown and Philly stuff..and Hall & Oates, I dug them
What still sounds cool to me is Junior Walker
Junior? Yeah, that was really great music, great tunes, cool band…one thing you have to know, all the Chess guys, on that label, they had a real respect for each other, they were friends. Dad, Wolf, Bo they used to jive each other all the time, make out they were bitter rivals or something…but jive was all it was. Good people recognise other good people, of course, they do. It was all part of the fun, it really was.
Ah, showbiz…happens in boxing all the time..sells the tickets
Yeah, that’s it!
Do you enjoy playing the UK?
You bet I do. It’s home from home, they just love the music, they know about it…
We’re coming to see you
Well, make sure we meet up!
(With thanks Mud and to Sacha at Hush PR)
Mud Morganfield’s latest album ‘They Call Me Mud’ is out now on Severn Records.
You can purchase the album here: https://amzn.to/2VRvCKc
For more information visit his official website here: http://bit.ly/2RpaZGQ
Mud Morganfield appears at London Blues Week, 100 Club, Oxford Street, London, the United Kingdom on Saturday 19th January 2019.
London Blues Week 2019 Tickets: http://bit.ly/2BmpzVL
