Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf

by James Segrest and Mark Hoffman

Book Overview

The definitive biography of the musical giant who became a titan in the blues pantheonOne of the greatest artists the blues ever produced, Howlin' Wolf was a musical giant in every way. He stood six... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375422463
• ISBN13: 9780375422461
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: Pantheon Books
• Length: 397 Pages
• Weight: 1.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.4" x 9.7"

Customer Reviews

Where the soul of man never dies

This book sets a new standard for music biographies, the authors have really done their research. Not only that, Chester almost jumps off the pages so well do they reveal a complex and private man. Descriptions of live performances and studio sessions are finely detailed, due to the numerous interviews the authors conducted with sidemen, producers, fans and family members. Good thing these writers started work on the book many years ago; a number of the interviewees have since died, making this the final word on working/living with the Wolf. Outstanding.

Worthy Treatment of Worthy Subject

One thing about music bios. When the subject is an artistic giant, they generally seem compelled to report "new" or "previously unknown" scandals to keep readers interested. But not this book. The authors have dutifully and truly captured the unique essence of Howlin' Wolf. In short, it is not only the definitive bio of the artist and the man, but it might well rank as one of the best and most loving comprehensive studies of anyone in music. After decades of listening to Wolf's music, and reading tons o' material about him, I approached this book with no small degree of caution. Would it be tawdry? Would it simply rehash facts? Be another potboiler? Happily the book is a superlative effort, seemlessly meshing history with artistry. Do yourself a favor. Read it and enjoy.

Howlin' Wolf is The Man

When I was a young kid growing up in Florida my parents brought home an album with a rocking chair on the cover. This is the famous "rocking chair" Howlin' Wolf album. It's probably the best blues album ever recorded, but it goes beyond blues. The arrangements are amazing, the playing incredible, and the vocals are...Howlin' Wolf. All I knew about Chester Burnett was that I loved this record. The biography is excellent, truly a labor of love. Howlin' Wolf was not only a remarkable singer and performer, but a highly organized bandleader and a very intelligent man. If you can find it, get the video, it is a great companion to this wonderful book.

From Blues ToDo Monthly, June 2004

I was sitting with Hubert Sumlin in the Green Room of Jazz Alley last week, when Mark Hoffman peeked through the doorway. The customary mischievous twinkle in his eye was augmented by an excited sense of urgency. In his hands he held a book; not just any book, but one he had written himself. This particular copy was a gift for Hubert, because Hubert had provided a critical link in the book's research. How could anyone write the definitive biography of Howlin' Wolf without consulting the man who'd been Wolf's guitarist for 25 years?Hubert grinned, Mark bubbled with appreciation. Crisp new pages and a freshly-pressed sepia close-up of a cigarette-puffing Howlin' Wolf on the cover. Someone set the finished product down on the table; that's when I grabbed it and started leafing through. It was impossible to resist.Moanin' at Midnight, The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf, finally gives the blues world back its missing link. When Howlin' Wolf left this earth in January 1976, he took with him his stories, his imposing presence and his immensely powerful voice. Fortunately, he left behind his recordings, which, for a generation now, are all we've had by which to remember him. Fortunately also, Wolf had many friends and associates who refused to let go of his memory, and were willing to share their recollections with co-authors Hoffman and James Segrest.Throughout the book, Hoffman and Segrest use words like gargantuan, ferocious and primal to describe Wolf's persona. If you ever were lucky enough to see Wolf perform, you know why. But even the surviving videos are enough to get the point across. It was not only the man's size that was intimidating, it was the way he wrapped his huge and startling voice around a song. It was his big hands dwarfing a guitar neck or reducing a harmonica to relative invisibility. As the equally legendary record producer Sam Phillips remarked the first time he heard Wolf on the radio in 1951, "This is where the soul of man never dies."Moanin' at Midnight is as thorough as a biography can be, but to Hoffman and Segrest the project was clearly a labor of love. A dozen years, hundreds of hours of interviews, cross-country commutes to glean insights into a personal hero, the relentless pursuit of detail...the devotion is unmistakable, and it shows.What Hoffman and Segrest have accomplished with their book is nothing short of magnificent. What they have given us, at long last, is the big picture of Chester Arthur Burnett, aka Howlin' Wolf . At 6'3" (some say 6'6") and nearly 300 pounds, Burnett demands a big picture. Wolf was not only a bluesman's bluesman, he really was larger than life.If you have any doubts, ask Hubert Sumlin.

An excellent biography

For any fan of Howlin' Wolf, this book is a must. It sheds a lot of light on a man that was as complex as he was talented. Wolf learned his craft from blues legends, like Charley Patton, and took the blues he heard when he was a child and molded it into his own sound. With a voice that was truly unique and actually quite flexible, he put everything he had into a song.It tells the heroic story of a man born in the south in the first decade of the 20th century amid grinding poverty, extreme racial prejudice, and an unhappy childhood, that found his freedom and his place in the world of the traveling blues man. His early life scarred him both physically and emotionally, and it can be heard in his music. The musical structure of his music could be very simple sometimes, but he put so much heart, so much emotion into it that the music is never boring, never trite. His childhood and life were hard, but his music is not merely a reflection of hard times. It also can reflect the joy he took in his talent and sharing it with people. A totally unique performer and voice in all of music, not just the blues. And a truly unique man.The book is well written and is easy to read, with many bluesmen telling about their encounters with 'The Wolf'. Highly recommended!