Last Friday, Chicago’s Raisin’ Records released an incredible tribute to Muddy Waters called Muddy Waters 100. Recorded in honor of what would have been Muddy Waters’ 100th birthday, the officially authorized album celebrates the life and music of the blues icon with 15 tracks spanning the longevity of his career. Tons of Muddy’s peers are on the album, from superstars like Johnny Winter to musicians that shared the stage with him like John Primer and Bob Margolin.
The CD comes housed in a 48-page hard-cover book that features rare and live shots of Muddy Waters captured by some of the biggest blues photographers of the time. Also included in the booklet is an essay by Robert Gordon, the author behind the Grammy Award-winning biography, Can’t be Satisfied — The Life and Times of Muddy Waters. Tribute albums can sometimes be overlooked, but this deluxe celebration of the music and life of Muddy Waters is a must-have for any fan of the blues.
The late Johnny Winter appears on the song “I’m Ready,” recorded just a few weeks before he passed in July of last year. Winter and Waters worked together on multiple albums in the late ’70s, including the album I’m Ready, which won a Grammy in 1978. Other guests on the album include Billy Branch, Gary Clark Jr., Shemekia Copeland, James Cotton, Derek Trucks, and more. Check out a video of the Muddy Waters classic “I’m Ready” below and click here for more information on Muddy Waters 100.
