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Downloaded from
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[light music]
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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[footsteps]
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- [cane clanking]
- [stool scuffing]
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[upbeat piano music]
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[crowd cheering]
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[announcer] Ladies and
gentlemen, we want to bring you out
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one of the baddest,
guitar players
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that ever did it
and got away with it
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The incredible
Mr. Hubert Sumlin.
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[audience cheering]
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The one, the only,
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Mr. Pine...
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top... Perkins.
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One of the greatest drummers
of all time,
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- Willie "Big Eyes" Smith.
- Whoo!
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[upbeat blues music]
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♪ Yeah ♪
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♪ Now when I was a young boy ♪
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When you're talking about
electric blues, Hubert Sumlin's
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contribution to Wolf's music...
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♪ My mother said I going to be ♪
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can't separate
those great records
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from Hubert's playing.
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He was the guitar player on
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"I Ain't Superstitious."
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♪ But now I'm a man ♪
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Willie Smith, he's the engine,
you know? He's the groove.
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[Pretty]
How do you explain when someone
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adds every time
you sit down to play?
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♪ I had lots of fun ♪
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Pinetop's playing
was really identifiable.
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Everybody from Eric Clapton
to the Rolling Stones,
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Led Zeppelin,
rock bands all over the place
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that have made some
of the most legendary records
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in the history of music,
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00:02:09,129 --> 00:02:11,006
all of these guys
were influenced by them
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to one degree or another.
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♪ Yeah ♪
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It's the ABCs of rock, baby.
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♪ Whoa, child ♪
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♪ Why ♪
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That Howlin' Wolf sound,
you know,
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Hubert and Howlin' Wolf
and that band
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really changed a lot of people.
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All the slow,
fast and medium-tempo blues,
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rock and roll
just kind of took that
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and they had the gold,
and everybody kind of tried
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to make a little
gold from their gold
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because it was perfect,
you know?
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♪ I'm a man ♪
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♪ Yeah ♪
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♪ I'm a rolling stone ♪
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[Robben] Hendrix was very
influenced by Hubert Sumlin.
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His sound and his
looseness on the guitar.
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♪ I'm a hoochie coochie man ♪
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It was fascinating
being on the road with, uh,
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with Clapton realizing how,
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how hard he dug into that
stuff when he was kid and...
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[Eric]
All of the early stuff I heard,
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Howlin' Wolf band
and Muddy Waters' band
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and Howlin' Wolf's band,
it was Hubert Sumlin.
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And so he became
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a hero of mine in his style.
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He's a fantastic player.
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♪ Hey, child ♪
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Pinetop's the ability to,
to play like that
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and not step on the vocal
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and not step on the guitar
player and not overdo it,
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but not underdo it,
is just incredible.
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It takes incredible talent
to be able to do that
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and there's not a lot
of players that can do that
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the way Pinetop did.
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♪ That mean, mannish boy ♪
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I watch his hands move.
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I mean, he's from the old,
old, old school.
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It seemed like every
nook was just gold.
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Every nook meant so much.
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♪ I'm a natural-born
lover's man ♪
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I think that's one of the things
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we inherited from the blues.
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You just play ahead.
You're playing for yourself,
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but you're also there
to entertain the audience
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and the show must go on.
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♪ Yeah ♪
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- [laughing]
- [Muddy] Not that bad.
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Imagine growing up
on a plantation going,
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"My choices are...
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this life,
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or I have this harmonica,
or this guitar or an idea,
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and I can entertain people,
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and maybe if I take
a chance and move to Chicago,
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I get discovered, I can get
myself out of this life."
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[upbeat blues music]
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[Marc]
As World War I erupted,
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millions of Southern,
black men and women
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seeking to escape
the oppressive conditions
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of the Jim Crow South
would take their chances
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and head to Northern,
industrial cities
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like New York,
Philadelphia and Chicago.
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♪ Oh, oh ♪
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As immigrants
from the Delta Region,
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they carried
with them a rich culture,
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a culture that included
American roots music
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or what we know
today as the blues.
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♪ Well, tell me baby ♪
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00:05:03,261 --> 00:05:04,888
Two Delta musicians who decided
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to take their chances on Chicago
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00:05:07,849 --> 00:05:10,268
were Muddy Waters
and Howlin' Wolf.
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♪ Don't you hear me cryin'? ♪
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At times friends,
at times bitter rivals,
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these men would ultimately go
on to establish themselves
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as the two titans of the blues.
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Over the course
of their long careers,
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Muddy and Wolf would employ
dozens of side musicians.
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Of these sidemen, Howlin'
Wolf guitarist, Hubert Sumlin.
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[blues guitar music]
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[Marc] Muddy Waters'
piano player, Pinetop Perkins.
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[upbeat piano music]
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[Marc] Muddy Waters'
drummer, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith.
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[percussive blues music]
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Each of these men would
have a unique relationship
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and play a pivotal role
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in the legacy of their
respected, band leaders.
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And collectively,
these three sidemen
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would go on to help redefine
popular music as we know it.
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But to fully understand
the remarkable lives
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of these three men,
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one must first understand
the life of a sideman.
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It's the same story 1,000 times.
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There's the guy
and then there's everybody else.
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Unfortunately, they always,
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00:07:05,008 --> 00:07:06,968
they always kind of get
brushed aside when,
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00:07:07,052 --> 00:07:09,179
-I mean, there's no
doubt, you take... -Willie.
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00:07:09,262 --> 00:07:11,222
Yeah, Hubert or any
of those guys out of that,
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and it's an entirely
different beast.
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It's not,
it's not nearly the same.
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When your name isn't
on the publishing, right...
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[chuckles] you're, you're,
ain't getting any checks.
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And when you're not
the lead singer,
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you know your name
on the marquee
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isn't really going
to draw that many people.
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[Warren] Well, Hubert
wasn't an artist like B.B. King
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or Freddy King or Albert King
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in the way that he wasn't front
and center singing and playing.
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He was normally a sideman
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and he was adding his presence
and his personality
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to the music
and to those amazing records.
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The true role of,
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uh, a second, a, a hired,
second gun,
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you don't want it
to overpower the guy.
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♪ I've been [indistinct] ♪
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♪ You can't believe what I say ♪
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I I've been[indistinct] baby ♪
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♪ And you can't believe
what I say &
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Without the sideman,
no music, you know?
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00:08:23,837 --> 00:08:26,798
Without that riff on "Killing
Floor,"” no "Killing Floor."
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[upbeat blues music]
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You don't hear a lot of, uh...
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Hubert's solos the way
you would hear, like,
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Albert King solos
and stuff like that.
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What you hear is
the atmosphere that he created.
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He plugs in and starts
playing guitar,
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and this is what
happens automatically.
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[guitar solo]
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[Shemekia] He was just,
like, always in the background,
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quiet and calm, but,
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when he came out on stage
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to do his thing, it was amazing.
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I know from my own music
but from all the music I love,
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00:09:04,502 --> 00:09:05,896
it's never just
a matter of whose name
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is on the front of the record,
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00:09:07,464 --> 00:09:09,064
or who the singer is,
or even the writer.
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00:09:09,090 --> 00:09:10,633
It's always
a collaborative effort
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with the band members, you know?
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It's hard to say whether
Willie showed up
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at the studio at Chess
and gave Muddy the arrangement
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the way he came up with it, but,
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00:09:18,683 --> 00:09:20,310
I like to think that after years
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of opening
for the Muddy Waters Band
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and all the years when I went on
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and they were...
We collaborated when shows,
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when they opened
for me later in colleges,
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the musicianship
and the chemistry
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between Willie and Pinetop
was just phenomenal.
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I mean, there's no way
to separate the contribution
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00:09:36,910 --> 00:09:37,994
of each member of that.
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There was just a feel.
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[Marc]
Levon Helm's summed up
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the difficult life of a sideman
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00:09:43,458 --> 00:09:45,794
with his direct,
plainspoken style.
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"The very term itself, sideman,
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it's just a God damn putdown.
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Hell, everyone knows
who Muddy Waters is.
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00:09:54,969 --> 00:09:57,931
Everyone knows who Howlin' Wolf
is and they should.
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00:09:58,014 --> 00:10:01,434
But, damn, not enough people
know who Hubert Sumlin is.
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00:10:01,518 --> 00:10:04,813
Not enough people know
who Pinetop Perkins is.
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00:10:04,896 --> 00:10:07,941
The players, they don't
even get a dance book.
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00:10:08,024 --> 00:10:10,860
Hell, they don't even
get to go to the dance.
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00:10:10,944 --> 00:10:13,071
Muddy and Wolf get fucked
while there, at the dance,
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00:10:13,154 --> 00:10:15,615
while the rest of us
just have to hear about it.”
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00:10:28,628 --> 00:10:31,506
Blues is the music of survivors.
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00:10:31,589 --> 00:10:34,467
It's not those who died in,
on the path and got lynched.
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00:10:34,551 --> 00:10:36,845
It's those who survived.
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00:10:36,928 --> 00:10:39,013
They got to sing the blues.
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00:10:40,014 --> 00:10:41,683
♪ Who's that writin' ♪
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00:10:41,766 --> 00:10:43,685
♪ John The Revalator ♪
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00:10:43,768 --> 00:10:46,813
♪ Tell me who's that writin'
John The Revelator ♪
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00:10:46,896 --> 00:10:49,333
Those songs were meant so that
a man could go out in the field
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00:10:49,357 --> 00:10:51,985
and he could chop all day long.
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00:10:52,068 --> 00:10:54,863
And he's chopping
and you hear a song like a...
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00:10:56,114 --> 00:11:00,201
♪ There ain't no hammer ♪
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00:11:02,620 --> 00:11:06,708
♪ That ring like mine ♪
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00:11:08,042 --> 00:11:09,627
Woke up this morning.
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00:11:09,752 --> 00:11:13,798
I was... Feeling around
for my shoes. Well?
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00:11:13,882 --> 00:11:18,678
♪ All the way to the jail, boy ♪
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00:11:37,530 --> 00:11:40,074
The blues came along
during the times of separate,
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00:11:40,158 --> 00:11:42,785
but unequal, if you want
to be truthful about that,
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00:11:42,869 --> 00:11:45,622
segregation in its worst,
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00:11:45,705 --> 00:11:47,415
more harsh forms.
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00:11:47,498 --> 00:11:49,459
[Bernard]
It developed from a struggle.
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00:11:49,542 --> 00:11:52,295
They had the blues
for real, you know?
224
00:11:52,378 --> 00:11:54,964
Field working, the Ku Klux Klan.
225
00:11:55,048 --> 00:11:58,426
Just being black and living
in America was rough.
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00:11:58,509 --> 00:12:02,555
It gave, it gave everybody
black the blues.
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00:12:02,639 --> 00:12:04,933
Pine and Hubert both knew,
228
00:12:05,016 --> 00:12:06,601
if you stepped out of line,
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00:12:06,684 --> 00:12:08,228
you either got beaten or killed.
230
00:12:08,311 --> 00:12:09,896
And you didn't step out of line
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00:12:09,979 --> 00:12:11,689
in Mississippi in 1920s and '30s
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00:12:11,773 --> 00:12:13,191
if you were an
African American man.
233
00:12:13,274 --> 00:12:14,376
You didn't look
at a white woman.
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00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:15,652
You didn't do a lot of things,
235
00:12:15,735 --> 00:12:17,320
and they knew they had to get on
236
00:12:17,403 --> 00:12:19,072
that highway
and get out of there.
237
00:12:19,155 --> 00:12:21,783
Get 55, go through St. Louis,
and end up in Chicago.
238
00:12:21,866 --> 00:12:23,326
And that's where
everybody was headed
239
00:12:23,409 --> 00:12:24,953
in order to have some respect.
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00:12:26,079 --> 00:12:28,373
♪ In your neighborhood ♪
241
00:12:28,456 --> 00:12:30,041
When did you start playing?
242
00:12:30,124 --> 00:12:32,377
How old were you when
you started playing piano?
243
00:12:32,460 --> 00:12:34,254
Not playing for the money,
244
00:12:34,337 --> 00:12:37,215
just playing, just learning
how to play, how old were you?
245
00:12:37,298 --> 00:12:41,010
Around about 13, 14 years old.
246
00:12:42,011 --> 00:12:43,012
Yeah.
247
00:12:43,096 --> 00:12:46,057
[crickets chirping]
248
00:12:46,140 --> 00:12:47,976
[birds chirping]
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00:12:48,059 --> 00:12:50,436
[Marc]
Born July 7th, 1913
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00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,815
on the Honey Island Plantation
in Belzoni, Mississippi,
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00:12:53,898 --> 00:12:57,527
Pinetop Perkins was born into
a sharecropper's existence.
252
00:12:57,610 --> 00:12:59,445
[upbeat blues music]
253
00:12:59,529 --> 00:13:02,615
By age seven,
Pinetop's parents had split up
254
00:13:02,699 --> 00:13:05,368
and his mother took him
to live with his grandmother.
255
00:13:05,451 --> 00:13:07,745
A woman Pinetop described as,
256
00:13:07,870 --> 00:13:09,914
"A mean, Black Creek Indian
257
00:13:09,998 --> 00:13:12,750
who would get mad at you
just for looking at her.”
258
00:13:12,834 --> 00:13:14,335
Pine would find out the hard way
259
00:13:14,419 --> 00:13:16,296
that disobeying Grandma
260
00:13:16,379 --> 00:13:19,382
literally meant taking
his life in his own hands.
261
00:13:21,926 --> 00:13:24,012
As Pine's passion
for music grew,
262
00:13:24,095 --> 00:13:25,930
he began to resent
the backbreaking,
263
00:13:26,014 --> 00:13:28,016
field labor and strict existence
264
00:13:28,099 --> 00:13:30,518
of life living
under Grandma's roof.
265
00:13:31,519 --> 00:13:33,146
This all came to a head one day
266
00:13:33,229 --> 00:13:35,773
when Pine failed to obey
Grandma's instructions
267
00:13:35,898 --> 00:13:38,026
regarding the cutting
of stove wood
268
00:13:38,109 --> 00:13:39,861
for the family shack.
269
00:13:39,944 --> 00:13:42,739
Infuriated, she grabbed
a glass, cork bottle
270
00:13:42,822 --> 00:13:45,074
and smashed him
across the head with it.
271
00:13:45,158 --> 00:13:49,037
The bottle shattered
knocking Pinetop out cold.
272
00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,040
When he came to,
he found Grandma beating him
273
00:13:52,123 --> 00:13:53,708
with one of those
sticks of stove wood.
274
00:13:54,625 --> 00:13:56,419
Pinetop had had enough.
275
00:13:57,462 --> 00:13:59,922
Later recounting the incident,
he said,
276
00:14:00,006 --> 00:14:02,467
"I woke up, man,
and I left there running.
277
00:14:02,550 --> 00:14:04,260
I hauled rump away from there.
278
00:14:04,344 --> 00:14:06,804
I left them
and I went out on my own.”
279
00:14:06,888 --> 00:14:09,223
Pinetop was 16 years old.
280
00:14:10,266 --> 00:14:13,269
[upbeat blues music]
281
00:14:14,145 --> 00:14:17,065
By this time, Pinetop
had become a skillful musician
282
00:14:17,148 --> 00:14:19,734
and was finding steady work
playing gambling houses,
283
00:14:19,817 --> 00:14:22,945
juke joints,
fish fries and brothels.
284
00:14:24,364 --> 00:14:27,909
In 1943, Pinetop would get
his big break
285
00:14:27,992 --> 00:14:29,792
when he was asked to join
Sonny Boy Williamson
286
00:14:29,827 --> 00:14:31,579
and the King Biscuit
Entertainers
287
00:14:31,662 --> 00:14:34,665
on the popular
King Biscuit Time radio show.
288
00:14:36,834 --> 00:14:38,711
In the decades to follow,
289
00:14:38,795 --> 00:14:40,755
Pinetop would work countless,
odd jobs
290
00:14:40,838 --> 00:14:43,508
to support himself
as a musician.
291
00:14:43,591 --> 00:14:46,177
He did everything
from driving a tractor,
292
00:14:46,260 --> 00:14:49,263
running a gambling house,
making moonshine
293
00:14:49,347 --> 00:14:52,225
and teaching Ike Turner
how to play the piano.
294
00:15:06,531 --> 00:15:08,091
[Marc] He would go
on to record and tour
295
00:15:08,116 --> 00:15:09,992
with the likes
of Bobby Blueblan,
296
00:15:10,076 --> 00:15:12,203
Robert Nighthawk, Earl Hooker
297
00:15:12,286 --> 00:15:15,790
and legendary Sun Records
Producer, Sam Phillips.
298
00:15:31,889 --> 00:15:33,266
Uh-huh.
299
00:15:36,269 --> 00:15:39,814
[upbeat blues music]
300
00:15:39,897 --> 00:15:43,276
[Marc] At a 1969 gig
in Upstate New York,
301
00:15:43,359 --> 00:15:46,529
Muddy Waters would ask
Pinetop to join his band.
302
00:15:48,364 --> 00:15:50,491
[Paul] We had a gig
in Buffalo, New York
303
00:15:50,575 --> 00:15:52,118
at the Governor's Tavern
304
00:15:52,201 --> 00:15:54,537
and Pine was an opening act
for Muddy Waters.
305
00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:57,498
Pinetop's relationship
with Muddy was of two people
306
00:15:57,582 --> 00:16:00,001
that had shared very
similar experiences
307
00:16:00,084 --> 00:16:03,171
whereas some of the other
band members hadn't,
308
00:16:03,254 --> 00:16:05,173
grown up on a plantation.
309
00:16:05,256 --> 00:16:07,133
Muddy and Pine hit it
off right away.
310
00:16:07,216 --> 00:16:09,844
Muddy used to call
Pine "Old man,"
311
00:16:09,927 --> 00:16:12,763
and I, I don't know
who was older though.
312
00:16:12,847 --> 00:16:14,765
On the piano, the Old Man.
313
00:16:15,683 --> 00:16:17,059
Pinetop Perkins.
314
00:16:17,143 --> 00:16:18,895
[audience applauding]
315
00:16:18,978 --> 00:16:20,664
[Paul] Muddy called, "Come
on over here, Old Man,
316
00:16:20,688 --> 00:16:22,398
and let's play some cards."
317
00:16:22,482 --> 00:16:23,941
And they'd play casino.
318
00:16:24,025 --> 00:16:27,737
[indistinct chattering]
319
00:16:27,820 --> 00:16:29,947
I used to get a kick out
of watching them play casino
320
00:16:30,072 --> 00:16:31,550
because, because
they put the card out.
321
00:16:31,574 --> 00:16:33,367
"Hal I'm going to,
I'm going to get you.
322
00:16:33,451 --> 00:16:34,869
I'm going to get you, Old Man."
323
00:16:34,952 --> 00:16:36,662
[Marc]
Pinetop would go on to occupy
324
00:16:36,746 --> 00:16:39,749
the piano chair in Muddy's
band for over a decade.
325
00:16:39,832 --> 00:16:42,168
Pine would appear on more
than half a dozen albums
326
00:16:42,251 --> 00:16:44,754
and play a significant
role in the revitalization
327
00:16:44,837 --> 00:16:48,466
of Muddy's career that would
unfold throughout the '70s.
328
00:17:00,269 --> 00:17:01,354
Uh-huh.
329
00:17:13,157 --> 00:17:18,746
♪ I long, Babe, I long ♪
330
00:17:20,248 --> 00:17:22,375
♪ You think I'm going
to let you ♪
331
00:17:24,585 --> 00:17:26,504
♪ Do me wrong ♪
332
00:17:28,464 --> 00:17:30,716
♪ But I don't know ♪
333
00:17:32,385 --> 00:17:34,762
♪ I long ♪
334
00:17:36,097 --> 00:17:38,558
♪ Babe, I long ♪
335
00:17:42,770 --> 00:17:45,731
♪ And I'm going
to sing this time, baby ♪
336
00:17:46,983 --> 00:17:49,318
♪ Ain't going to sing no more ♪
337
00:17:50,987 --> 00:17:53,573
♪ Now my time go around ♪
338
00:17:54,448 --> 00:17:56,951
♪ I believe I've got to go ♪
339
00:17:59,245 --> 00:18:01,664
♪ Oh, I long ♪
340
00:18:03,332 --> 00:18:05,459
♪ I long ♪
341
00:18:06,669 --> 00:18:09,589
♪ Babe, I long ♪
342
00:18:15,136 --> 00:18:18,139
[audience applauding]
343
00:18:18,222 --> 00:18:21,058
Without the blues, there
would be no rock and roll.
344
00:18:21,142 --> 00:18:22,619
I mean, there's all
that there is to it.
345
00:18:22,643 --> 00:18:23,996
There wouldn't be
any rock and roll
346
00:18:24,020 --> 00:18:26,022
if it wasn't for those guys.
347
00:18:26,105 --> 00:18:29,275
I mean, they've had a huge
influence. Like Muddy did that song,
348
00:18:29,358 --> 00:18:31,503
"The Blues Had a Baby and
They Named It Rock and Roll."
349
00:18:31,527 --> 00:18:34,989
That was, just about right.
350
00:18:35,072 --> 00:18:36,842
I mean, there definitely
wouldn't be rock and roll
351
00:18:36,866 --> 00:18:37,946
if it wasn't for the blues.
352
00:18:37,992 --> 00:18:41,078
[upbeat blues music]
353
00:18:45,541 --> 00:18:47,168
♪ 'Cause all you people ♪
354
00:18:47,251 --> 00:18:48,478
[Scott] We wouldn't
have any rock and roll
355
00:18:48,502 --> 00:18:50,463
if it wasn't for Chess Records.
356
00:18:50,546 --> 00:18:52,256
Any rock and roll.
357
00:18:52,340 --> 00:18:56,093
Chess had Howlin' Wolf,
Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry.
358
00:18:56,177 --> 00:18:59,430
So they are the architects
of rock and roll.
359
00:18:59,513 --> 00:19:01,307
I know they're
in the blues genre.
360
00:19:01,390 --> 00:19:04,977
But that, that is the very
beating heart of rock and roll,
361
00:19:05,061 --> 00:19:08,481
is, is the, the blues music
of the South and Chicago.
362
00:19:08,564 --> 00:19:10,608
The music that
those guys created,
363
00:19:10,691 --> 00:19:13,110
it built this bridge
from blues to rock
364
00:19:13,194 --> 00:19:16,530
because it was too dirty
and nasty and angular
365
00:19:16,614 --> 00:19:20,326
to just be Delta blues
and traditional blues.
366
00:19:20,409 --> 00:19:23,704
But people had not quite
taken it all the way
367
00:19:23,788 --> 00:19:26,832
to like Jimi Hendrix
at that time.
368
00:19:26,916 --> 00:19:29,377
So this was the missing link.
369
00:19:29,460 --> 00:19:31,671
This was that area
where the music
370
00:19:31,754 --> 00:19:34,590
kind of had its own
categorization.
371
00:19:34,674 --> 00:19:37,468
It was like nothing else
anybody else was doing.
372
00:19:38,594 --> 00:19:40,680
[Marc]
By the late '50s, British teens
373
00:19:40,763 --> 00:19:43,015
unaffected by issues
of politics and race
374
00:19:43,099 --> 00:19:45,309
were fascinated
by the mysterious nature
375
00:19:45,393 --> 00:19:48,979
and undeniable authenticity
of American blues.
376
00:19:50,189 --> 00:19:52,775
I mean, there's this exotic
thing about finding records
377
00:19:52,858 --> 00:19:55,528
from the Deep South and,
you know,
378
00:19:55,611 --> 00:19:56,880
these, I mean,
there's a whole collection.
379
00:19:56,904 --> 00:19:58,322
-These guys...
-The mystery...
380
00:19:58,406 --> 00:20:00,008
Yeah, the mystery of it all.
I mean, there's,
381
00:20:00,032 --> 00:20:02,118
you don't know if these guys
are alive or dead.
382
00:20:02,201 --> 00:20:05,246
And you don't, you don't know if
these stories are mythical or true.
383
00:20:05,329 --> 00:20:08,165
In Britain, they'd be, they'd... I
don't know what they'd be playing.
384
00:20:08,249 --> 00:20:10,584
There'd certainly be no
Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin
385
00:20:10,668 --> 00:20:12,128
or Beatles
without those records.
386
00:20:29,311 --> 00:20:32,064
[Marc]
In 1964, the Rolling Stones,
387
00:20:32,148 --> 00:20:34,066
still a fledgling band,
388
00:20:34,150 --> 00:20:36,444
decided against
management's advice
389
00:20:36,527 --> 00:20:39,822
to record an American blues
song as their next single.
390
00:20:41,031 --> 00:20:44,910
The Stones insisted on recording
Howlin' Wolf's "Little Red Rooster”
391
00:20:44,994 --> 00:20:47,580
featuring Hubert Sumlin's
signature, guitar riff.
392
00:20:47,663 --> 00:20:49,039
The Rolling Stones.
393
00:20:49,123 --> 00:20:51,500
[crowd cheering]
394
00:20:51,584 --> 00:20:53,919
♪ I am the Little
Red Rooster, baby ♪
395
00:20:55,087 --> 00:20:58,132
♪ Too lazy to crow today ♪
396
00:20:58,215 --> 00:21:00,801
[Keith] Let's see if we can
actually spin it back around
397
00:21:00,885 --> 00:21:02,762
and give them the blues
398
00:21:02,845 --> 00:21:04,430
and make American, white kids
399
00:21:04,513 --> 00:21:06,348
listen to "Little Red Rooster"
400
00:21:06,432 --> 00:21:08,142
and then go, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."
401
00:21:08,225 --> 00:21:09,727
Uh-huh.
402
00:21:09,810 --> 00:21:11,812
"You had it all the time, pal,
403
00:21:11,896 --> 00:21:14,356
you know,
you just didn't listen."
404
00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:16,251
[man] We actually said,
"This is a Howlin' Wolf's song
405
00:21:16,275 --> 00:21:17,461
or this is
a Muddy Waters' song.”
406
00:21:17,485 --> 00:21:19,570
So the kids got to know this
407
00:21:19,653 --> 00:21:22,072
and then they went out
searching for the records.
408
00:21:24,909 --> 00:21:27,161
♪ The dogs begin to bark, baby ♪
409
00:21:28,204 --> 00:21:31,749
♪ The howls began howlin' ♪
410
00:21:33,292 --> 00:21:34,936
It was really the British
guys that brought it around,
411
00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,048
you know, to the Americans
and then, uh, um,
412
00:21:39,131 --> 00:21:43,260
turned on guys like me and, uh,
to go back and, and dig.
413
00:21:43,344 --> 00:21:47,723
British bands at that time,
they sort of, um...
414
00:21:49,558 --> 00:21:51,018
you know, took it in,
415
00:21:51,101 --> 00:21:52,937
they sort of made it
their own thing,
416
00:21:53,020 --> 00:21:55,689
and they put it
right back in our face.
417
00:21:55,773 --> 00:21:58,275
Like, "Hey, Americans,
look what you have
418
00:21:58,359 --> 00:21:59,944
and you're
not even aware of it."
419
00:22:32,184 --> 00:22:34,979
[Marc] "Little Red Rooster"
would reach number one in England
420
00:22:35,062 --> 00:22:37,439
and to this day remains
the only blues song
421
00:22:37,523 --> 00:22:39,233
ever to hit that mark.
422
00:22:39,316 --> 00:22:40,568
[Joe]
The Stones made no bones
423
00:22:40,651 --> 00:22:42,045
about whose songs
they were playing.
424
00:22:42,069 --> 00:22:44,071
Then the next generation,
were these bands
425
00:22:44,154 --> 00:22:46,323
were, like,
really playing blues.
426
00:22:46,407 --> 00:22:47,908
The Allman Brothers...
427
00:22:49,034 --> 00:22:50,578
we don't play
428
00:22:50,661 --> 00:22:52,913
a whole lot of real
intricate stuff.
429
00:22:54,206 --> 00:22:57,084
Basis of it,
the groove of it is, is...
430
00:22:58,377 --> 00:23:00,212
spawned from the blues.
431
00:23:00,296 --> 00:23:02,047
♪ I don't care
how long you're gone ♪
432
00:23:03,549 --> 00:23:05,801
♪ I don't care
how long you stay ♪
433
00:23:07,303 --> 00:23:08,971
♪ It's going
to come true, baby ♪
434
00:23:10,472 --> 00:23:12,016
♪ We get a home someday ♪
435
00:23:12,099 --> 00:23:13,809
No matter where else it may go,
436
00:23:13,893 --> 00:23:17,062
it's going to come back to...
437
00:23:17,146 --> 00:23:20,065
I mean, it's all just
drenched in the blues.
438
00:23:23,819 --> 00:23:27,573
Those guys, those are
the guys that performed all the,
439
00:23:27,656 --> 00:23:30,951
all the songs that are
so dear to my heart, you know?
440
00:23:31,035 --> 00:23:32,912
We started doing the Beacon
and guests
441
00:23:32,995 --> 00:23:34,455
started showing up
and I was like,
442
00:23:34,538 --> 00:23:35,765
"You know what? If we're
going to have people out,
443
00:23:35,789 --> 00:23:37,374
let's have people out."
444
00:23:37,499 --> 00:23:40,085
Like, "Let's have
people that started this band.
445
00:23:40,169 --> 00:23:42,105
Let's have people that Duane
Allman would want to have out."”
446
00:23:42,129 --> 00:23:44,107
It was like sitting down,
playing with your grandpa.
447
00:23:44,131 --> 00:23:46,508
[Derek] Hubert was one of the
first names that come to mind.
448
00:23:46,592 --> 00:23:48,969
So, when those guys got
back to us, it was like,
449
00:23:49,053 --> 00:23:50,471
"Hu would love to come out."”
450
00:23:50,554 --> 00:23:53,474
You know, Me and Warren,
we were, we were pumped.
451
00:23:53,557 --> 00:23:56,393
"No shit? Hubert's
coming out?" [laughing]
452
00:23:56,477 --> 00:23:59,730
[Warren] The one and only
legendary Hubert Sumlin on the guitar.
453
00:23:59,813 --> 00:24:02,858
[crowd cheering]
454
00:24:07,071 --> 00:24:09,448
♪ One summer day ♪
455
00:24:11,867 --> 00:24:13,911
♪ She went away ♪
456
00:24:16,997 --> 00:24:19,583
♪ She had packed her suitcase ♪
457
00:24:21,502 --> 00:24:23,420
♪ And moved away ♪
458
00:24:27,007 --> 00:24:29,343
♪ I don't worry ♪
459
00:24:31,971 --> 00:24:34,306
♪ I don't worry ♪
460
00:24:37,393 --> 00:24:40,771
♪ I'm saton top ♪
461
00:24:42,106 --> 00:24:43,607
♪ Of the world ♪
462
00:24:51,573 --> 00:24:53,200
♪ Goodbye ♪
463
00:24:53,283 --> 00:24:55,869
When you hear Hubert tell
stories, he's talking about,
464
00:24:55,953 --> 00:24:59,581
"You know, I was with
Etta backstage in 1955..."
465
00:24:59,665 --> 00:25:01,667
And you realize he's
talking about The Apollo
466
00:25:01,750 --> 00:25:03,711
with James Brown and Etta James
467
00:25:03,794 --> 00:25:06,005
and he's hitting on Etta in 1955
468
00:25:06,088 --> 00:25:07,589
and all this stuff's going on.
469
00:25:07,673 --> 00:25:10,217
He doesn't realize
how incredibly cool it is.
470
00:25:10,300 --> 00:25:14,138
He was, he was a fantastic guy
and a great storyteller too
471
00:25:14,221 --> 00:25:16,932
because he had all these
stories about being on the road.
472
00:25:17,016 --> 00:25:18,994
And he would always do that
thing where he'd incorporate
473
00:25:19,018 --> 00:25:20,662
your name in the story,
and then he's like,
474
00:25:20,686 --> 00:25:22,539
"And then, Derek, you know
what Wolf said to me?"
475
00:25:22,563 --> 00:25:24,023
And I was like,
"What, Hubert? What?"
476
00:25:24,106 --> 00:25:25,858
He's one of those guys
that had a knack,
477
00:25:25,941 --> 00:25:28,152
that when you talk to him,
of making you feel
478
00:25:28,235 --> 00:25:29,835
like the most important
guy in the world.
479
00:25:29,903 --> 00:25:31,321
Pinetop...
480
00:25:31,405 --> 00:25:32,448
uh,
481
00:25:32,531 --> 00:25:34,324
he, wow, what a resilient guy.
482
00:25:37,286 --> 00:25:38,286
Chain smoked cigarettes.
483
00:25:38,328 --> 00:25:39,747
[lighter flicking]
484
00:25:41,582 --> 00:25:44,877
And he loved women, we had lots
of discussions about women.
485
00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,880
Hey, Pinetop, what was that song
you sung about big women?
486
00:25:49,590 --> 00:25:51,008
[man]
Yeah! [laughing]
487
00:25:51,091 --> 00:25:52,801
Shaking on the bones.
488
00:26:10,944 --> 00:26:12,529
[men laughing]
489
00:26:12,613 --> 00:26:14,364
[Bobby]
Just... just warmhearted.
490
00:26:14,448 --> 00:26:19,536
Just easygoing, whatever,
whatever, you know?
491
00:26:19,620 --> 00:26:21,180
Yeah, as long as
they got some McDonald.
492
00:26:21,205 --> 00:26:22,205
[laughing]
493
00:26:22,247 --> 00:26:23,248
He loved McDonald's.
494
00:26:38,555 --> 00:26:41,767
Two double cheeseburgers,
two apple pies and Sprite,
495
00:26:41,850 --> 00:26:44,937
which is five dollars on the dollar
menu and shares for two meals.
496
00:26:45,020 --> 00:26:46,939
That's what he ate every day.
497
00:26:55,906 --> 00:26:58,575
He didn't even care that
I was some long-haired,
498
00:26:58,700 --> 00:27:01,537
young, white kid who
probably should have been,
499
00:27:01,620 --> 00:27:03,831
you know,
in a Pearl Jam cover band.
500
00:27:03,914 --> 00:27:05,749
These guys were
my fricking Pearl Jam.
501
00:27:05,833 --> 00:27:07,334
They were my musical heroes
502
00:27:07,417 --> 00:27:09,137
and they just treated me
like any other cat.
503
00:27:09,169 --> 00:27:12,756
Mostly we just talked
about other stuff, you know?
504
00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:15,551
Like fishing and women
and what they like to drink.
505
00:27:15,634 --> 00:27:17,845
Willie was another one of those
guys that called me son.
506
00:27:17,928 --> 00:27:20,681
And, you know, we took him out
on the road with us as well
507
00:27:20,764 --> 00:27:23,267
and we had a,
a tremendous amount of fun.
508
00:27:23,350 --> 00:27:25,894
And we talked about
a lot of things, uh, personal.
509
00:27:25,978 --> 00:27:27,521
I mean, he's got a lot of kids
510
00:27:27,604 --> 00:27:30,107
and I've met
many of his children.
511
00:27:30,190 --> 00:27:32,693
He and I were friends
and discussed, uh,
512
00:27:32,776 --> 00:27:34,403
my experience becoming a father
513
00:27:34,486 --> 00:27:36,613
and starting, you know,
beginning my own family
514
00:27:36,738 --> 00:27:37,799
and raising children and stuff.
515
00:27:37,823 --> 00:27:39,449
But I'm from Tulsa, Oklahoma
516
00:27:39,533 --> 00:27:42,953
and in 1960
517
00:27:43,036 --> 00:27:46,582
I went to Chicago
to get into the blues,
518
00:27:46,665 --> 00:27:50,627
and the first band
I ever saw in my life
519
00:27:50,711 --> 00:27:52,129
had these guys in it.
520
00:27:52,212 --> 00:27:56,758
Muddy Waters, James Cotton,
Otis Spann
521
00:27:56,842 --> 00:27:59,511
and, guess who was playing
drums in that band?
522
00:27:59,595 --> 00:28:03,140
[audience screaming]
523
00:28:03,223 --> 00:28:04,725
Willie Smith.
524
00:28:05,684 --> 00:28:08,061
[Willie] If you want to go
back, let's go all the way back.
525
00:28:08,145 --> 00:28:11,273
Ever since I can remember,
I always wanted to play.
526
00:28:11,356 --> 00:28:14,359
[percussive music]
527
00:28:14,443 --> 00:28:17,070
[trumpet playing]
528
00:28:17,154 --> 00:28:20,991
♪ Train arrive ♪
529
00:28:21,074 --> 00:28:24,578
[Marc] Willie Smith was
born January 19th, 1936
530
00:28:24,661 --> 00:28:26,663
just across
the mighty Mississippi
531
00:28:26,788 --> 00:28:29,750
from Pinetop and Hubert
in Helena, Arkansas.
532
00:28:29,833 --> 00:28:32,794
[upbeat blues music]
533
00:28:32,878 --> 00:28:35,464
Growing up amidst all
the great music of the South,
534
00:28:35,547 --> 00:28:37,591
Willie inherited
his mother's love of music
535
00:28:37,674 --> 00:28:41,053
and passion for the blues
at an early age.
536
00:28:41,136 --> 00:28:43,639
However, a burning desire
to play an instrument
537
00:28:43,722 --> 00:28:45,766
was hampered by a lack of money.
538
00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:08,247
[Marc] Undeterred, Willie
picked up the harmonica,
539
00:29:08,330 --> 00:29:10,332
the most affordable
and portable instrument
540
00:29:10,415 --> 00:29:12,125
available to him at the time.
541
00:29:12,209 --> 00:29:15,629
[harmonica playing]
542
00:29:15,712 --> 00:29:18,131
Like so many Southern,
black men and women,
543
00:29:18,215 --> 00:29:20,467
Willie's mother would join
the great migration North
544
00:29:20,550 --> 00:29:22,010
and head to Chicago.
545
00:29:22,886 --> 00:29:24,930
Leaving Willie behind
with his grandmother,
546
00:29:25,013 --> 00:29:27,683
she hoped to find a better job
and build a better life
547
00:29:27,766 --> 00:29:29,559
for her and her young son.
548
00:29:31,395 --> 00:29:33,855
Throughout his youth,
Willie formed many bands
549
00:29:33,939 --> 00:29:36,525
and was developing
a serious love of the blues.
550
00:29:37,859 --> 00:29:40,028
Never missing a chance
to check out the new music
551
00:29:40,112 --> 00:29:42,364
playing on all the juke boxes,
552
00:29:42,447 --> 00:29:45,909
Willie became particularly
fond of Muddy Waters,
553
00:29:45,993 --> 00:29:47,869
the man who was
redefining the music
554
00:29:47,953 --> 00:29:51,456
with his new, Chicago style,
electrified blues.
555
00:29:51,540 --> 00:29:54,543
♪ Well, I'm going
away to leave ♪
556
00:29:54,626 --> 00:29:57,713
♪ Won't be back no more
going back down South ♪
557
00:29:57,796 --> 00:30:01,675
At age 17, Willie was called
to join his mother in Chicago.
558
00:30:03,260 --> 00:30:04,928
Taking the lllinois
Central North,
559
00:30:05,012 --> 00:30:06,332
he didn't get off
until he arrived
560
00:30:06,388 --> 00:30:08,890
at Chicago Central Station.
561
00:30:08,974 --> 00:30:13,895
♪ Well, babe, I just can't be
satisfied and I just can't be ♪
562
00:30:13,979 --> 00:30:17,816
It wouldn't be long before his mom would
take him to meet his idol, Muddy Waters.
563
00:30:19,109 --> 00:30:20,777
And within a few years,
564
00:30:20,902 --> 00:30:23,363
Willie would find himself
occupying the drum chair
565
00:30:23,447 --> 00:30:25,032
in Muddy's band.
566
00:30:25,115 --> 00:30:27,242
A position he would fill
off and on
567
00:30:27,326 --> 00:30:29,119
for the next four decades.
568
00:30:31,913 --> 00:30:34,958
[upbeat blues guitar music]
569
00:30:51,224 --> 00:30:54,269
[upbeat blues guitar music]
570
00:31:17,626 --> 00:31:20,563
And he was a great, blues player. I mean,
I think people kind of overlooked that
571
00:31:20,587 --> 00:31:22,839
a little bit because
they're so enamored
572
00:31:22,964 --> 00:31:25,175
of his sound and his tone,
573
00:31:25,258 --> 00:31:26,927
just this aura of Jimi Hendrix.
574
00:31:40,816 --> 00:31:44,403
[Marc] Arriving in
England in the fall of 1966,
575
00:31:44,486 --> 00:31:47,280
Jimi Hendrix, a big fan
of Hubert's guitar playing
576
00:31:47,364 --> 00:31:50,617
and in particular his lick
on the song, "Killing Floor,”
577
00:31:50,700 --> 00:31:53,537
would use that song
to stun the who's who
578
00:31:53,620 --> 00:31:54,996
of the British Rock scene.
579
00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:57,374
[audience applauding]
580
00:31:57,457 --> 00:32:00,877
Jimi would then take his
talent to a much larger stage,
581
00:32:01,002 --> 00:32:03,672
one populated by none
other than his idols,
582
00:32:03,755 --> 00:32:05,715
Hubert Sumlin and Howlin' Wolf.
583
00:32:06,883 --> 00:32:07,926
Thank you.
584
00:32:09,219 --> 00:32:13,014
[Will] Hendrix was in the
crowd and, and he came up and,
585
00:32:13,098 --> 00:32:15,559
you know, he was just,
went straight for the stage.
586
00:32:23,483 --> 00:32:26,528
[upbeat blues music]
587
00:32:35,245 --> 00:32:36,913
[will]
Wolf... the band was playing
588
00:32:37,038 --> 00:32:38,998
and he came on the stage
and played with the band.
589
00:32:52,554 --> 00:32:54,181
♪ I should have quit you ♪
590
00:32:56,308 --> 00:32:57,476
♪ A long time ago ♪
591
00:33:21,416 --> 00:33:24,461
[upbeat rock music]
592
00:33:32,427 --> 00:33:34,906
[Will] If you look at Jimi Hendrix
choosing to play "Killing Floor,"
593
00:33:34,930 --> 00:33:37,682
he's the guy that redefined
electric guitar playing.
594
00:33:37,766 --> 00:33:40,769
[guitar playing]
595
00:33:42,729 --> 00:33:45,490
[Will] To have been influenced
then by Hubert Sumlin, that says a lot.
596
00:33:53,281 --> 00:33:56,409
Hubert was a big influence
on Jimi Hendrix.
597
00:33:57,994 --> 00:33:59,621
Basically, if you take him,
598
00:33:59,704 --> 00:34:02,332
you take that style
and you put it through
599
00:34:02,415 --> 00:34:04,834
a big amplifier and turn it up,
600
00:34:04,918 --> 00:34:06,253
you've got Hendrix.
601
00:34:08,672 --> 00:34:11,132
When you listen to a lot
of those Wolf records,
602
00:34:11,216 --> 00:34:14,386
Hubert's contribution
to that music
603
00:34:14,469 --> 00:34:17,013
was so important because
604
00:34:17,097 --> 00:34:18,932
it helped create something
605
00:34:19,015 --> 00:34:23,186
that transcended where blues
had been at that point.
606
00:34:23,270 --> 00:34:25,647
It led us to rock and roll.
607
00:34:25,730 --> 00:34:27,691
That's such
a heavy contribution,
608
00:34:27,774 --> 00:34:29,442
it can't be overlooked.
609
00:34:29,526 --> 00:34:31,278
I always found myself wondering
610
00:34:31,361 --> 00:34:34,322
does he know how heavy he is?
611
00:34:34,406 --> 00:34:36,032
Did he know how heavy he was?
612
00:34:36,157 --> 00:34:38,660
I don't know,
he was such a lighthearted,
613
00:34:38,743 --> 00:34:40,370
fun-loving character
614
00:34:40,453 --> 00:34:43,623
that I never got the,
the sense that he was even aware
615
00:34:43,707 --> 00:34:45,667
of how much he had contributed.
616
00:34:45,750 --> 00:34:48,670
The blues for him was life.
617
00:34:51,423 --> 00:34:52,507
Life.
618
00:34:53,466 --> 00:34:55,093
And it made him happy.
619
00:34:56,553 --> 00:34:59,723
And he could play
the devil out of it.
620
00:34:59,806 --> 00:35:02,058
[upbeat blues music]
621
00:35:02,142 --> 00:35:04,144
[Marc] Hubert Sumlin
was born to a loving mother
622
00:35:04,227 --> 00:35:05,937
and strict, sharecropping father
623
00:35:06,021 --> 00:35:10,483
in Greenwood, Mississippi
on November 16th, 1931.
624
00:35:12,193 --> 00:35:14,696
His big brother ignited
Hubert's passion for music
625
00:35:14,779 --> 00:35:17,073
after fashioning
a makeshift guitar
626
00:35:17,198 --> 00:35:18,992
known as a diddley bow,
627
00:35:19,075 --> 00:35:20,869
by nailing a piece
of bailing wire
628
00:35:20,952 --> 00:35:22,954
to the side of the family shack.
629
00:35:24,414 --> 00:35:26,750
Using a Coke bottle as a slide,
630
00:35:26,833 --> 00:35:29,628
he made a sound that Hubert
found irresistible.
631
00:35:31,963 --> 00:35:34,758
Hubert's mother,
recognizing her son's passion,
632
00:35:34,841 --> 00:35:36,926
would spend an entire
week's salary
633
00:35:37,010 --> 00:35:39,471
to buy Hubert
his first real guitar.
634
00:35:39,554 --> 00:35:41,097
This would mark the start
635
00:35:41,181 --> 00:35:43,475
of a lifelong,
love affair with the instrument.
636
00:35:43,558 --> 00:35:47,062
[upbeat blues guitar music]
637
00:36:10,210 --> 00:36:12,712
[Marc] The next time a Coke
bottle would figure so prominently
638
00:36:12,796 --> 00:36:14,339
into young Hubert's life,
639
00:36:14,422 --> 00:36:16,049
it would have
equally significant
640
00:36:16,132 --> 00:36:17,801
and long-lasting consequences.
641
00:36:40,824 --> 00:36:42,325
♪ I've got the house
rockin' boogie ♪
642
00:36:42,409 --> 00:36:44,536
♪ Everybody's on the ball ♪
643
00:36:44,619 --> 00:36:47,664
[upbeat blues music]
644
00:37:10,895 --> 00:37:13,690
♪ Baby, that's Howlin' time ♪
645
00:37:27,620 --> 00:37:29,080
♪ Hey, hey ♪
646
00:37:29,164 --> 00:37:31,416
♪ Baby, saint is on the ball ♪
647
00:37:33,460 --> 00:37:34,919
♪ Hey, hey ♪
648
00:37:35,003 --> 00:37:37,255
♪ Saintis on the ball ♪
649
00:37:57,484 --> 00:38:00,528
[upbeat blues music]
650
00:38:05,408 --> 00:38:07,160
[Marc]
In the ensuing years,
651
00:38:07,243 --> 00:38:09,871
Howlin' Wolf would keep tabs
on the brash, young man
652
00:38:09,954 --> 00:38:11,873
who had literally fallen
out of the sky
653
00:38:11,956 --> 00:38:14,125
onto his head and into his life.
654
00:38:15,376 --> 00:38:18,421
In 1954, Wolf would
call down South
655
00:38:18,505 --> 00:38:21,257
and ask Hubert
to join him in Chicago.
656
00:38:21,382 --> 00:38:23,885
His arrival would mark the
beginning of an extraordinary
657
00:38:23,968 --> 00:38:25,637
father son-like relationship
658
00:38:25,720 --> 00:38:28,097
that would last
for the next quarter century.
659
00:38:29,057 --> 00:38:31,059
During that time,
Hubert and Wolf
660
00:38:31,142 --> 00:38:33,561
would form one of the greatest,
musical partnerships
661
00:38:33,645 --> 00:38:35,814
in the history of Western music.
662
00:38:37,774 --> 00:38:40,360
The relationship
between Hubert and Wolf,
663
00:38:40,443 --> 00:38:42,821
was really the relationship
between a father and a son.
664
00:38:44,364 --> 00:38:47,200
Hubert thought
of Wolf as his father.
665
00:38:47,283 --> 00:38:49,452
Wolf thought of him as,
as his son.
666
00:38:49,536 --> 00:38:52,831
Howlin' Wolf's voice and Hubert
Sumlin's guitar playing went hand-in-hand.
667
00:38:52,914 --> 00:38:56,000
And you almost couldn't really
hear one without the other.
668
00:38:56,084 --> 00:38:58,878
The combination of Hubert Sumlin
and Howlin' Wolf
669
00:38:58,962 --> 00:39:01,714
was like that was why they were
brought into this world.
670
00:39:01,798 --> 00:39:03,633
For that.
671
00:39:03,716 --> 00:39:06,427
Don't care what they were doing
before or who they had with.
672
00:39:06,511 --> 00:39:09,848
It's just when you see a hand
that fit in the glove perfect,
673
00:39:10,849 --> 00:39:12,535
that's what you use
to catch everything with.
674
00:39:12,559 --> 00:39:15,311
Hubert is a smart,
guitar player.
675
00:39:15,436 --> 00:39:19,524
And he don't ever, he didn't
ever pretend he knew so much.
676
00:39:19,607 --> 00:39:23,027
He would use the world like,
"I tried.”
677
00:39:23,111 --> 00:39:24,153
And when he said that...
678
00:39:24,237 --> 00:39:25,237
[puffs]
679
00:39:26,781 --> 00:39:28,575
[Bonnie]
"300 Pounds of Joy" to me
680
00:39:28,658 --> 00:39:30,743
is the greatest
guitar solo I've ever heard.
681
00:39:30,827 --> 00:39:33,496
That guitar solo,
when I want to show people
682
00:39:33,580 --> 00:39:35,206
what I love about Wolf,
683
00:39:35,290 --> 00:39:36,875
not only is it his singing,
684
00:39:36,958 --> 00:39:39,002
but it's Hubert's playing,
and that solo does it.
685
00:39:39,085 --> 00:39:42,130
The timing of the solo
on "300 Hundred Pounds of Joy,"
686
00:39:42,213 --> 00:39:44,632
which I can sing
to you verbatim,
687
00:39:44,716 --> 00:39:47,343
and I've been at parties,
you know, high and sober
688
00:39:47,468 --> 00:39:49,429
and played it and made
people sit, "Shh-shh-shh."
689
00:39:49,512 --> 00:39:52,765
[upbeat blues music]
690
00:39:58,605 --> 00:40:00,732
The way he swings
inside the beat
691
00:40:00,815 --> 00:40:03,067
and delays and does,
it's so much poetry.
692
00:40:03,151 --> 00:40:04,879
I mean, I'm sure that
he wasn't sitting around
693
00:40:04,903 --> 00:40:06,714
thinking about it, it's
just the way that he played.
694
00:40:06,738 --> 00:40:09,365
Of all these guys,
he was the legit rock star.
695
00:40:09,490 --> 00:40:11,618
People knew about
Pinetop and Willie.
696
00:40:11,701 --> 00:40:14,495
People revered in the rock
world of Hubert Sumlin.
697
00:40:14,579 --> 00:40:17,624
[cars humming]
698
00:40:19,167 --> 00:40:20,607
- [woman] Willie?
- [man] Look at that.
699
00:40:33,640 --> 00:40:35,934
[Hubert laughing]
700
00:40:37,685 --> 00:40:38,728
Look at that!
701
00:40:44,192 --> 00:40:48,321
To rank him
in 100 top guitar players,
702
00:40:48,404 --> 00:40:50,531
he's got to at least be
in the top five
703
00:40:50,615 --> 00:40:51,991
if not the top three.
704
00:40:52,075 --> 00:40:54,619
I mean, for his influence
and his imprint
705
00:40:54,702 --> 00:40:57,372
that he left on everybody.
706
00:40:57,455 --> 00:40:59,624
[Derek]
I was really happy to see Hubert
707
00:40:59,707 --> 00:41:01,584
on that list
when it first came out.
708
00:41:01,668 --> 00:41:04,837
-It's like there was some
justice. [chuckles] -Exactly.
709
00:41:04,921 --> 00:41:06,798
It wasn't correct
where he was put.
710
00:41:06,881 --> 00:41:09,258
But it was the fact
that he was on there.
711
00:41:09,342 --> 00:41:10,969
- Yep.
- Made me feel good.
712
00:41:11,052 --> 00:41:14,430
All these kids that, that
play guitar now, you know,
713
00:41:14,514 --> 00:41:16,015
even if they don't know it,
714
00:41:16,099 --> 00:41:18,309
they've stolen something
from Hubert Sumlin.
715
00:41:28,861 --> 00:41:30,196
Ha-ha-ha.
716
00:41:31,489 --> 00:41:32,615
Yeah!
717
00:41:33,783 --> 00:41:35,827
[Lance] It blows my mind
that Hubert Sumlin's not
718
00:41:35,910 --> 00:41:37,370
in the rock and roll
Hall of Fame.
719
00:41:37,453 --> 00:41:39,330
You can hear Hubert Sumlin
720
00:41:39,414 --> 00:41:42,875
in every modern,
lead guitar player today.
721
00:41:42,959 --> 00:41:47,380
I mean, he is as important
as Chuck Berry in that respect.
722
00:41:47,463 --> 00:41:49,841
For him to not get
that due is mind-blowing.
723
00:42:06,649 --> 00:42:09,694
[upbeat blues music]
724
00:42:13,656 --> 00:42:17,994
♪ Should've quit you
long, long, long time ago ♪
725
00:42:21,330 --> 00:42:25,793
♪ Should have quit you, baby,
long, long, long time ago ♪
726
00:42:29,172 --> 00:42:33,801
♪ Should've quit you
way on back in Mexico ♪
727
00:43:24,811 --> 00:43:28,064
[Marc] As the 1970s dawned,
the demand and appreciation
728
00:43:28,147 --> 00:43:30,316
for the blues had begun to fade.
729
00:43:31,484 --> 00:43:34,946
However, like so many
times in the past,
730
00:43:35,029 --> 00:43:37,573
the music would
ultimately prevail,
731
00:43:37,657 --> 00:43:40,535
helped in a large part
by several key events
732
00:43:40,618 --> 00:43:43,037
that not only
kept the blues alive,
733
00:43:43,121 --> 00:43:45,164
but also helped it thrive.
734
00:43:46,791 --> 00:43:49,085
These would include
the Johnny Winter produced
735
00:43:49,168 --> 00:43:53,005
Muddy Waters album
Hard Again and Chess Records,
736
00:43:53,089 --> 00:43:55,049
The London Howlin'
Wolf Sessions.
737
00:43:56,968 --> 00:43:59,512
Pinetop, Willie and Hubert
738
00:43:59,595 --> 00:44:02,974
would each play integral parts
in these important events.
739
00:44:03,057 --> 00:44:06,102
[blues guitar music]
740
00:44:09,063 --> 00:44:11,023
[Wolf] Let's show you
how to do it. You know now.
741
00:44:11,107 --> 00:44:13,484
Now you and Hubert take it
742
00:44:23,578 --> 00:44:25,621
I just started to pick up guitar
743
00:44:25,705 --> 00:44:28,082
and at that point
I was listening to...
744
00:44:29,125 --> 00:44:32,503
Clapton, and Hendrix,
and Johnny Winter.
745
00:44:32,587 --> 00:44:33,963
And my brother said,
746
00:44:34,046 --> 00:44:36,215
"Hey, check out
this Howlin' Wolf record.
747
00:44:36,299 --> 00:44:38,301
Eric Clapton's playing on it."
748
00:44:38,384 --> 00:44:40,887
And it was
the London Sessionrecords.
749
00:44:40,970 --> 00:44:43,931
So like a lot of people my age,
750
00:44:44,015 --> 00:44:46,642
my first encounter with Wolf
751
00:44:46,767 --> 00:44:48,394
was the London Sessions.
752
00:44:48,477 --> 00:44:52,190
When Wolf went over
to do the London Sessions,
753
00:44:52,273 --> 00:44:56,027
uh, in England
and they flew him over there,
754
00:44:56,110 --> 00:44:57,653
generally what
they did with people
755
00:44:57,778 --> 00:44:59,548
is they would bring, like,
Muddy Waters or whatever.
756
00:44:59,572 --> 00:45:01,490
And, and then they
would match them up
757
00:45:01,574 --> 00:45:03,159
with a bunch
of English musicians.
758
00:45:03,242 --> 00:45:04,744
But Wolf brought
Hubert with him.
759
00:45:04,827 --> 00:45:06,746
He insisted that Hubert
be there, you know,
760
00:45:06,829 --> 00:45:08,789
because he was such
an integral part of his sound.
761
00:45:08,831 --> 00:45:11,417
[man] Tell me aboutthe
London Howlin' Wolf Sessions.
762
00:45:41,864 --> 00:45:44,909
[blues guitar music]
763
00:45:47,036 --> 00:45:49,121
Those sessions,
I think it's incalculable
764
00:45:49,205 --> 00:45:51,707
because you've got,
if you bring together,
765
00:45:51,832 --> 00:45:53,626
almost at the peak
of their powers, uh,
766
00:45:53,709 --> 00:45:55,294
you have these
British musicians.
767
00:45:55,378 --> 00:45:57,797
Uh, and, and now the,
768
00:45:57,880 --> 00:46:00,383
they're slowly becoming
the elder statesmen of blues,
769
00:46:00,466 --> 00:46:02,677
uh, people like Howlin' Wolf
770
00:46:02,760 --> 00:46:05,471
uh, and almost passing
the torch to a degree.
771
00:46:18,567 --> 00:46:21,070
Bill Wyman,
Charlie Watts showed up.
772
00:46:21,153 --> 00:46:24,407
And, you know, every
musician in London was there.
773
00:46:24,490 --> 00:46:26,325
Mick Jagger was in the studio.
774
00:46:26,409 --> 00:46:28,244
[blues guitar music]
775
00:46:28,327 --> 00:46:31,622
Howlin' Wolf was very resistant
to playing with these guys.
776
00:46:31,706 --> 00:46:34,834
In London, Wolf was completely
out of his element.
777
00:46:34,917 --> 00:46:37,545
He, was uncomfortable
out of his element.
778
00:46:39,380 --> 00:46:41,233
Eric came up to me
after the first day and said,
779
00:46:41,257 --> 00:46:43,360
"Do you think I should even
come back tomorrow, you know,
780
00:46:43,384 --> 00:46:44,969
I mean, Wolf just grabbed me
781
00:46:45,052 --> 00:46:46,887
and seems he doesn't like us."
782
00:46:46,971 --> 00:46:49,116
And I said, "No, no, no, come,
you can come back tomorrow.
783
00:46:49,140 --> 00:46:50,474
It'll be fine."
784
00:46:50,558 --> 00:46:51,785
So the next day
I saw Eric, I said,
785
00:46:51,809 --> 00:46:54,770
"Look, why don't you ask him
786
00:46:54,854 --> 00:46:57,732
to show you the changes
787
00:46:57,815 --> 00:47:00,443
on slide guitar for
'Little Red Rooster?'
788
00:47:00,526 --> 00:47:02,778
And, of course,
Eric knew it in his sleep.
789
00:47:02,862 --> 00:47:04,322
But he got the idea.
790
00:47:04,405 --> 00:47:07,033
And so you can hear
on the record him saying,
791
00:47:07,116 --> 00:47:09,452
"Hey, Wolf, you know,
would you show us how,
792
00:47:09,535 --> 00:47:11,430
you know, the slide part
goes on 'Little Red Rooster?"
793
00:47:11,454 --> 00:47:13,164
We really can't do
it without you, man.
794
00:47:13,247 --> 00:47:14,540
We want you to play it with us."
795
00:47:14,623 --> 00:47:17,877
So Wolf reaches down
to his cardboard,
796
00:47:17,960 --> 00:47:23,007
guitar case and pulls out his
old, Sears Silvertone Guitar
797
00:47:23,090 --> 00:47:25,134
and he starts playing
this humongous,
798
00:47:25,217 --> 00:47:27,803
unbelievable, slide sound.
799
00:47:27,928 --> 00:47:29,972
And you can hear on the record
if you listen to it,
800
00:47:30,056 --> 00:47:32,558
you know,
how he's teaching them the song.
801
00:47:32,641 --> 00:47:35,686
And at that moment,
I think Wolf melted.
802
00:47:35,770 --> 00:47:38,814
[blues guitar music]
803
00:47:42,360 --> 00:47:44,403
[Wolf] Let's show you
how to do it. You know now.
804
00:47:44,487 --> 00:47:47,740
Now you and Hubert take it
Now you play it that way.
805
00:47:47,823 --> 00:47:50,010
[Eric] You sure you wouldn't like,
why don't you play acoustic on it?
806
00:47:50,034 --> 00:47:51,452
- [Wolf] No.
- [Eric] With us, man.
807
00:47:51,535 --> 00:47:53,537
See if you'll play
with us, Wolf,
808
00:47:53,621 --> 00:47:55,331
then we'll be able
to follow you better.
809
00:47:55,414 --> 00:47:58,209
Like, like you were
doing it right then, man.
810
00:47:58,292 --> 00:48:00,020
- [man] You there.
- [Eric] That's how we should record it
811
00:48:00,044 --> 00:48:01,128
and I can follow you,
812
00:48:01,212 --> 00:48:02,588
I can see what you're doing.
813
00:48:02,671 --> 00:48:04,382
[man]
Really, just sit here and do it.
814
00:48:04,465 --> 00:48:07,593
[Wolf] Listen, everybody
get together there
815
00:48:07,676 --> 00:48:08,969
and we'll try to make it.
816
00:48:09,053 --> 00:48:10,137
[Eric]
Okay, let's try.
817
00:48:10,221 --> 00:48:11,514
I don't know if I can do it
818
00:48:11,597 --> 00:48:13,349
- without you.
- [Wolf] Oh, man.
819
00:48:13,432 --> 00:48:15,851
Come on, he's just,
you ain't got nothing to do
820
00:48:15,976 --> 00:48:18,145
but count if off and, and, um,
821
00:48:19,188 --> 00:48:21,857
and, uh, change on the,
and you know, when you said.
822
00:48:23,150 --> 00:48:24,026
One.
823
00:48:24,110 --> 00:48:27,071
[blues guitar music]
824
00:48:27,154 --> 00:48:28,239
Two.
825
00:48:28,322 --> 00:48:30,699
[blues guitar music]
826
00:48:30,783 --> 00:48:31,826
Three.
827
00:48:31,909 --> 00:48:33,994
[blues guitar music]
828
00:48:34,078 --> 00:48:35,663
Four, you change.
829
00:48:35,746 --> 00:48:38,624
[upbeat blues music]
830
00:48:38,707 --> 00:48:41,836
♪ Have you seen
my little red rooster ♪
831
00:48:43,504 --> 00:48:45,756
♪ Even when you're at peace ♪
832
00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:47,633
♪ Same as all ♪
833
00:48:52,930 --> 00:48:55,349
♪ You know I had no peace ♪
834
00:48:55,433 --> 00:48:56,976
♪ In my mind ♪
835
00:48:58,436 --> 00:49:02,148
♪ People said my little
red rooster be gone ♪
836
00:49:50,696 --> 00:49:52,239
- [man 1] Alright.
- [man 2] That's it.
837
00:49:52,323 --> 00:49:54,408
- [man 1] Yeah, that's it.
- [man 2] That's it.
838
00:49:54,492 --> 00:49:56,327
[man 1] That's it,
that's it. [chuckles]
839
00:49:56,410 --> 00:49:59,455
Hard Againsonically
is one of the best albums
840
00:49:59,538 --> 00:50:01,081
ever recorded
in the blues genre.
841
00:50:01,165 --> 00:50:02,333
It's just one of the great,
842
00:50:02,416 --> 00:50:03,477
greatest,
blues albums of all time.
843
00:50:03,501 --> 00:50:04,793
That record comes on
844
00:50:04,877 --> 00:50:06,754
and it is just fat
and compressed.
845
00:50:06,837 --> 00:50:08,506
That first tune hits you
846
00:50:08,589 --> 00:50:10,508
and it's just like,
that groove is just bam.
847
00:50:10,591 --> 00:50:12,968
[blues guitar music]
848
00:50:13,093 --> 00:50:14,553
♪ Yeah ♪
849
00:50:16,514 --> 00:50:18,974
That's the most powerful
blues riff ever played.
850
00:50:19,099 --> 00:50:21,477
Everybody knows that riff,
everybody.
851
00:50:21,560 --> 00:50:24,271
The Muddy Waters Band that
I always wanted to be a part of,
852
00:50:24,355 --> 00:50:26,482
it had Pinetop,
it had Willie "Big Eyes" Smith,
853
00:50:26,565 --> 00:50:28,734
it had Bob Margolin,
Johnny Winter,
854
00:50:28,817 --> 00:50:30,319
Muddy Waters, all these guys.
855
00:50:30,402 --> 00:50:32,321
Once Chess folded
and he went to G.R.T,
856
00:50:32,404 --> 00:50:34,448
they didn't really know
what to do with him.
857
00:50:34,532 --> 00:50:36,408
They made some
pretty bad records.
858
00:50:36,492 --> 00:50:38,136
I just wanted to get him
back to where I knew
859
00:50:38,160 --> 00:50:40,329
he always wanted to be.
860
00:50:40,412 --> 00:50:44,542
[Lance] Johnny wanted to
capture the essence and the passion
861
00:50:44,625 --> 00:50:46,877
of that whole band
862
00:50:46,961 --> 00:50:48,837
being in the room together
863
00:50:48,921 --> 00:50:51,590
and, you know, capture,
like I said capturing
864
00:50:51,674 --> 00:50:53,884
that lightning in a bottle,
and, and he did.
865
00:50:53,968 --> 00:50:55,636
♪ And ♪
866
00:50:56,971 --> 00:50:59,282
[Johnny] It was a lot of fun.
We did everything real quick.
867
00:50:59,306 --> 00:51:01,141
One or two takes.
868
00:51:01,225 --> 00:51:03,018
Everybody knew
what they were doing.
869
00:51:03,102 --> 00:51:05,229
It's all seasoned, blues guys.
870
00:51:05,312 --> 00:51:07,815
So it was a very easy record to
make. It was just a lot of fun.
871
00:51:07,898 --> 00:51:09,400
[Muddy]
Johnny the boss man now.
872
00:51:09,483 --> 00:51:11,151
[indistinct]
We going to hear something.
873
00:51:11,235 --> 00:51:14,196
[upbeat blues music]
874
00:51:14,280 --> 00:51:16,657
Johnny wanted to turn Muddy back
875
00:51:16,740 --> 00:51:18,492
into the Muddy that
he knew and listened to.
876
00:51:18,576 --> 00:51:20,428
So that was his main thing,
that's how he produced that.
877
00:51:20,452 --> 00:51:21,954
It was all live.
878
00:51:22,037 --> 00:51:24,039
He tried to do it one
take as much as possible.
879
00:51:24,123 --> 00:51:26,417
Willie's drums were captured
880
00:51:26,500 --> 00:51:28,627
in the most powerful light ever.
881
00:51:28,711 --> 00:51:31,213
Pinetop's playing
is just weaving in and out
882
00:51:31,297 --> 00:51:33,465
of every song throughout
the entire record
883
00:51:33,549 --> 00:51:36,594
and he plays all these great
parts just at the right time.
884
00:51:38,846 --> 00:51:40,931
Johnny is of course in the band.
885
00:51:41,015 --> 00:51:42,683
They're, they're playing live
886
00:51:42,766 --> 00:51:46,186
and he couldn't control
himself behind the console,
887
00:51:46,270 --> 00:51:48,314
like, screaming and shouting.
888
00:51:48,397 --> 00:51:50,232
Just getting off
so much on the music.
889
00:51:50,316 --> 00:51:52,318
I think that
kind of says it all.
890
00:51:54,153 --> 00:51:58,490
[Bob] Hard Againreally kind
of helped revive Muddy's career
891
00:51:58,574 --> 00:52:00,659
and I run into a lot
of people who are,
892
00:52:00,743 --> 00:52:03,495
all about 50 years old
now who say,
893
00:52:03,579 --> 00:52:06,999
"That's what got me into blues
right there. Through Johnny Winter."
894
00:52:07,082 --> 00:52:10,294
Which is exactly what
Johnny was deliberately
895
00:52:10,377 --> 00:52:12,296
trying to do and he did that.
896
00:52:12,379 --> 00:52:15,841
♪ Because I know
she can't be beat ♪
897
00:52:15,924 --> 00:52:17,801
Yeah. That were
some fun years, man.
898
00:52:20,846 --> 00:52:21,889
[man]
Great music.
899
00:52:21,972 --> 00:52:23,682
No money but look at all the fun
900
00:52:23,766 --> 00:52:26,477
you was having,
that's what life is all about.
901
00:52:26,560 --> 00:52:29,605
[upbeat blues music]
902
00:52:31,815 --> 00:52:34,526
[Marc] Three and a half
decades after it's released,
903
00:52:34,610 --> 00:52:37,655
"The Blues Brothers" ”
is considered a timeless classic
904
00:52:37,738 --> 00:52:40,449
and continues to entertain
fans around the world.
905
00:52:40,532 --> 00:52:42,493
♪ Boom, boom, boom ♪
906
00:52:42,576 --> 00:52:43,869
♪ Hmm-hmm ♪
907
00:52:43,952 --> 00:52:45,371
When Danny and I
wrote the movie,
908
00:52:45,454 --> 00:52:47,081
it, it was important
that we have artists
909
00:52:47,164 --> 00:52:49,583
on Maxwell Street in Chicago.
910
00:52:49,667 --> 00:52:51,293
And then we said, "Well, great,
911
00:52:51,377 --> 00:52:53,420
here's an opportunity
to get some great artists.”
912
00:52:53,504 --> 00:52:55,381
And so we approached
Muddy Waters
913
00:52:55,464 --> 00:52:57,216
and he was very enthusiastic.
914
00:52:57,299 --> 00:52:59,444
And that's why Pinetop,
that's why those guys are there,
915
00:52:59,468 --> 00:53:01,220
because it's his backup guys.
916
00:53:02,221 --> 00:53:03,806
♪ Oh, c'mon on home ♪
917
00:53:03,889 --> 00:53:07,267
The plan was for John
Lee Hooker to sing a song
918
00:53:07,351 --> 00:53:09,144
and for Muddy to sing a song.
919
00:53:09,269 --> 00:53:11,814
Uh, the day that came
to shoot Maxwell Street,
920
00:53:11,897 --> 00:53:13,941
Muddy was sick, he got the flu.
921
00:53:14,024 --> 00:53:15,776
So we went ahead without Muddy
922
00:53:15,859 --> 00:53:18,362
and that's why John Lee
is by himself there
923
00:53:18,445 --> 00:53:19,780
backed up by those guys.
924
00:53:19,863 --> 00:53:21,865
♪ Why'd you talk like that ♪
925
00:53:22,783 --> 00:53:24,660
♪ I can't take it like that ♪
926
00:53:26,036 --> 00:53:27,871
♪ How, how, how, how ♪
927
00:53:28,747 --> 00:53:30,541
♪ Hey, hey ♪
928
00:53:30,624 --> 00:53:31,959
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
929
00:53:32,042 --> 00:53:34,044
These guys were
greatly appreciated,
930
00:53:34,128 --> 00:53:36,171
but not by a mass audience,
931
00:53:36,255 --> 00:53:39,758
which basically means
they were opening acts and,
932
00:53:39,842 --> 00:53:41,385
and not being booked that much.
933
00:53:41,468 --> 00:53:43,846
So Danny and John did
an extraordinary thing,
934
00:53:43,929 --> 00:53:45,931
they exploited
their own celebrity
935
00:53:46,014 --> 00:53:48,475
to focus attention
936
00:53:48,559 --> 00:53:51,437
on these amazing, American acts.
937
00:53:51,520 --> 00:53:53,981
[Marc] Although Pinetop
and Willie appear in the film
938
00:53:54,064 --> 00:53:57,192
playing a part in yet another
significant, cultural moment,
939
00:53:57,276 --> 00:53:59,820
most viewers never
even noticed they were there.
940
00:53:59,903 --> 00:54:03,031
Just another day
in the life of a sideman.
941
00:54:16,170 --> 00:54:21,675
♪ One summer day she went away ♪
942
00:54:24,136 --> 00:54:26,430
♪ Walked off and left me ♪
943
00:54:28,098 --> 00:54:30,976
♪ She gone to stay ♪
944
00:54:31,059 --> 00:54:33,854
When Wolf was schedule to play
in Europe, couldn't make it.
945
00:54:33,937 --> 00:54:35,790
And Hubert, I guess
it's like you could just say,
946
00:54:35,814 --> 00:54:37,149
was a, you know, in his stead.
947
00:54:54,333 --> 00:54:56,919
♪ She went away ♪
948
00:55:04,343 --> 00:55:06,112
[will] There's a story
that's almost mythological
949
00:55:06,136 --> 00:55:08,347
around Wolf wanting
to tell Hubert something.
950
00:55:21,109 --> 00:55:24,988
♪ End up sitting
on top of the world ♪
951
00:55:30,702 --> 00:55:33,247
[Will] What was it that he
wanted to tell him? I don't know.
952
00:55:33,330 --> 00:55:35,541
I think we can only speculate
about what it was.
953
00:55:35,624 --> 00:55:38,585
I think he wanted to tell him,
"I see you as a son."
954
00:55:38,669 --> 00:55:40,462
And I think he,
he felt that connection
955
00:55:40,546 --> 00:55:43,173
with, with Hubert,
and not to get that,
956
00:55:43,257 --> 00:55:45,384
not to get that payoff
if you will,
957
00:55:45,467 --> 00:55:47,803
um, I think it, uh,
958
00:55:47,886 --> 00:55:50,907
it's just one of the many things that I
think haunted Hubert throughout his life.
959
00:55:50,931 --> 00:55:53,976
[blues music]
960
00:55:58,230 --> 00:56:00,399
[Marc]
By 1983, both Howlin' Wolf
961
00:56:00,482 --> 00:56:02,192
and Muddy Waters had died.
962
00:56:03,193 --> 00:56:04,987
Their passing would mark the end
963
00:56:05,070 --> 00:56:08,282
of two of the most influential
careers in music history
964
00:56:08,365 --> 00:56:12,202
and serve as a reminder
that with or without the blues,
965
00:56:12,286 --> 00:56:13,829
music was moving on.
966
00:56:14,955 --> 00:56:16,582
♪ Blues ♪
967
00:56:17,666 --> 00:56:22,754
Disco, new wave and arena rock
were now the reigning kings.
968
00:56:22,838 --> 00:56:26,675
And although these forms
owed a great debt to the blues,
969
00:56:26,758 --> 00:56:28,594
not many seemed to care.
970
00:56:29,761 --> 00:56:32,347
It was into this
inhospitable environment
971
00:56:32,472 --> 00:56:35,934
that Hubert, Pinetop
and Willie were cast
972
00:56:36,018 --> 00:56:39,271
forcing them to reinvent
themselves and their careers,
973
00:56:40,147 --> 00:56:42,274
whether they were
ready for it or not.
974
00:56:42,357 --> 00:56:45,402
[upbeat blues music]
975
00:56:46,361 --> 00:56:49,406
[light acoustic guitar music]
976
00:56:52,159 --> 00:56:55,162
[will] Wolf's death just
absolutely devastated Hubert.
977
00:56:56,580 --> 00:56:59,333
If you didn't really
have a father figure
978
00:56:59,416 --> 00:57:01,269
or didn't particularly
respect your father figure,
979
00:57:01,293 --> 00:57:04,838
and then this musician came
in and taught you the ropes,
980
00:57:04,922 --> 00:57:07,507
loved you, maybe
perhaps hated you at times.
981
00:57:07,591 --> 00:57:09,927
But just showed
you everything about life,
982
00:57:10,010 --> 00:57:12,220
the good, the bad, all,
all these things.
983
00:57:12,304 --> 00:57:15,098
If that goes, I mean,
your support system goes.
984
00:57:15,182 --> 00:57:16,516
Your foundation goes.
985
00:57:16,600 --> 00:57:18,119
And I think that
that's what he needed.
986
00:57:18,143 --> 00:57:19,895
I think that Hubert
needed that foundation
987
00:57:19,978 --> 00:57:22,397
to give him a direction.
988
00:57:22,522 --> 00:57:25,025
I think without him,
I think he was truly lost.
989
00:57:25,108 --> 00:57:27,194
[Jim]
Hubert lost Howlin' Wolf.
990
00:57:27,277 --> 00:57:28,654
He got divorced.
991
00:57:28,737 --> 00:57:30,030
He lost his house.
992
00:57:30,113 --> 00:57:31,365
So he had nothing.
993
00:57:31,448 --> 00:57:34,117
He had no family, no friends,
994
00:57:35,243 --> 00:57:39,498
no band and, um,
he was too famous
995
00:57:39,581 --> 00:57:43,669
to be a sideman
and too shy to be a leader.
996
00:57:43,752 --> 00:57:46,046
So he's in a real tough spot.
997
00:58:03,146 --> 00:58:06,441
[Will] It's his attitude towards
his own life and his career
998
00:58:06,525 --> 00:58:09,653
and people's perception of him
as well, I think that hurt him as well.
999
00:58:09,736 --> 00:58:11,896
That just saw him as another
guitar player if you will.
1000
00:58:30,632 --> 00:58:32,352
[Will] Popular music
has just had, moved on.
1001
00:58:32,426 --> 00:58:34,261
If you're looking at working,
blues musicians,
1002
00:58:34,344 --> 00:58:36,054
I think really
you got to look at the '70s
1003
00:58:36,138 --> 00:58:38,557
through the '80s, you know,
life was tough.
1004
00:58:48,692 --> 00:58:50,569
♪ You couldn't believe in me ♪
1005
00:58:53,155 --> 00:58:56,241
♪ I did everything
you know I could ♪
1006
00:59:01,496 --> 00:59:04,499
♪ You couldn't believe in me ♪
1007
00:59:04,624 --> 00:59:07,794
♪ 'Cause I did everything
people, I could ♪
1008
00:59:13,633 --> 00:59:16,762
♪ One day I'm going
to do something and ♪
1009
00:59:16,845 --> 00:59:19,890
♪ Maybe someday
I do something good ♪
1010
00:59:19,973 --> 00:59:21,641
♪ Yeah ♪
1011
00:59:25,771 --> 00:59:28,690
[Jim] It's very sad
that as Hubert peaked,
1012
00:59:28,774 --> 00:59:30,484
Howlin' Wolf faded.
1013
00:59:30,567 --> 00:59:33,737
And, and, you know,
those lost years,
1014
00:59:33,820 --> 00:59:37,616
those great, that was
when he was great, you know?
1015
00:59:37,699 --> 00:59:39,868
Howlin' Wolf left
and Hubert was there
1016
00:59:39,951 --> 00:59:41,536
with all of that talent.
1017
00:59:53,465 --> 00:59:56,968
[Hugh] Hubert was probably 24/7
drunk or as much as he could be.
1018
00:59:57,052 --> 00:59:58,470
I'm sure he was doing blow.
1019
00:59:58,553 --> 01:00:01,932
I mean, he was releasing
or performing so rarely,
1020
01:00:02,015 --> 01:00:04,476
I don't think people even
realized who he was at the time.
1021
01:00:04,559 --> 01:00:08,647
I think he had fallen so far
into the hole that he was gone.
1022
01:00:08,730 --> 01:00:11,775
[blues guitar music]
1023
01:00:14,903 --> 01:00:16,696
Pinetop Perkins
was living in a low-income
1024
01:00:16,780 --> 01:00:20,575
housing neighborhood in Chicago
with part of his family.
1025
01:00:20,659 --> 01:00:22,579
Most of the time that
we would send money to him,
1026
01:00:22,619 --> 01:00:24,388
it would get stolen
before it would get to him.
1027
01:00:24,412 --> 01:00:26,164
Because he would call us
back and tell us
1028
01:00:26,248 --> 01:00:27,666
that this was happening.
1029
01:00:27,749 --> 01:00:29,501
And he was also being
physically abused,
1030
01:00:29,584 --> 01:00:32,129
and, uh, just a lot
of horrible stuff going on.
1031
01:00:32,212 --> 01:00:34,256
He had been arrested
for drinking and driving
1032
01:00:34,339 --> 01:00:36,466
once at least,
and he was put into jail
1033
01:00:36,550 --> 01:00:38,885
and he was on work release
for a while.
1034
01:00:38,969 --> 01:00:41,888
I don't think people realized
because Pine was still playing,
1035
01:00:41,972 --> 01:00:43,765
and he was
still getting to gigs.
1036
01:00:43,849 --> 01:00:46,017
He wasn't doing well,
he was drinking and looking bad
1037
01:00:46,101 --> 01:00:47,861
on stage and stuff,
but he was getting there.
1038
01:01:25,557 --> 01:01:28,560
[piano music]
1039
01:01:42,073 --> 01:01:43,658
[laughing]
1040
01:01:58,298 --> 01:02:00,425
Couldn't believe
nobody else wanted these guys.
1041
01:02:00,508 --> 01:02:03,428
That just blew my mind that
they were sitting in poverty
1042
01:02:03,511 --> 01:02:06,181
and getting beat up
and treated like garbage
1043
01:02:06,264 --> 01:02:07,557
and nobody cared.
1044
01:02:07,641 --> 01:02:08,784
I mean, the moment
they called me,
1045
01:02:08,808 --> 01:02:09,893
I was like, "Yes."
1046
01:02:09,976 --> 01:02:13,021
[upbeat rock music]
1047
01:02:16,358 --> 01:02:18,443
♪ If I had to follow ♪
1048
01:02:20,153 --> 01:02:23,198
♪ My second mind ♪
1049
01:02:23,281 --> 01:02:25,909
[Marc] Throughout the '90s
and into the new millennium,
1050
01:02:25,992 --> 01:02:28,203
a blues resurgence
would push the music
1051
01:02:28,286 --> 01:02:29,788
to the forefront
of popular culture.
1052
01:02:29,871 --> 01:02:31,706
♪ John the Revelator ♪
1053
01:02:31,790 --> 01:02:33,959
♪ He's a smooth operator ♪
1054
01:02:34,042 --> 01:02:36,378
♪ Time we got him down inside ♪
1055
01:02:36,461 --> 01:02:38,004
Blues music would once again
1056
01:02:38,088 --> 01:02:40,590
serve as a prime
source of inspiration
1057
01:02:40,674 --> 01:02:42,550
for a whole new
generation of artists.
1058
01:02:42,634 --> 01:02:45,053
♪ It's true ♪
1059
01:02:45,136 --> 01:02:47,764
♪ Baby I'm howlin' for you ♪
1060
01:02:48,932 --> 01:02:52,686
[Hugh] '78 to '90, that was a
period of bad, bad, bad music.
1061
01:02:52,769 --> 01:02:55,188
When that period died,
1062
01:02:55,272 --> 01:02:57,041
I think the people were
ready to hear good music.
1063
01:02:57,065 --> 01:02:58,668
So it was really good
timing for all of us
1064
01:02:58,692 --> 01:02:59,835
because when they were
ready to come back,
1065
01:02:59,859 --> 01:03:01,444
people were ready to hear them.
1066
01:03:01,528 --> 01:03:03,238
[upbeat blues music]
1067
01:03:03,321 --> 01:03:04,590
[Marc]
But it wasn't only musicians
1068
01:03:04,614 --> 01:03:06,366
that were drawn to the blues.
1069
01:03:06,449 --> 01:03:09,286
When Madison Avenue
needed just the right sound
1070
01:03:09,369 --> 01:03:12,455
to suggest raw passion
and gritty sexuality,
1071
01:03:12,539 --> 01:03:15,667
the song "Smokestack Lightning”
featuring Hubert's iconic,
1072
01:03:15,750 --> 01:03:18,378
guitar riff and Howlin'
Wolf's primordial wail
1073
01:03:19,296 --> 01:03:22,173
helped to sell a whole
new form of inspiration.
1074
01:03:22,257 --> 01:03:23,925
[announcer]
So why would you let something
1075
01:03:24,009 --> 01:03:26,886
like erectile dysfunction
get in your way?
1076
01:03:26,970 --> 01:03:29,639
Isn't it time you talked
to your doctor about Viagra?
1077
01:03:29,723 --> 01:03:31,641
[Marc]
This renewed appreciation
1078
01:03:31,725 --> 01:03:33,435
for genuine,
American roots music
1079
01:03:33,518 --> 01:03:35,270
brought with it
a renewed interest
1080
01:03:35,353 --> 01:03:37,856
in the few remaining,
authentic blues musicians.
1081
01:03:44,487 --> 01:03:46,281
[laughing]
1082
01:03:58,501 --> 01:04:00,545
[woman] We'll just
stay for a couple hours
1083
01:04:00,628 --> 01:04:03,381
if you don't want to stay
through the whole thing, okay?
1084
01:04:03,465 --> 01:04:05,967
- [Pinetop] All right.
- [woman] I think you'll be fine.
1085
01:04:06,051 --> 01:04:07,969
Let me see, let me look at you.
1086
01:04:08,053 --> 01:04:09,554
[Pinetop]
All right.
1087
01:04:09,637 --> 01:04:12,223
- [woman] Look, look up.
- [Pinetop laughing]
1088
01:04:12,307 --> 01:04:16,603
- Hey, boy.
- Hey, boy, how are you doing?
1089
01:04:16,686 --> 01:04:18,146
Alright.
1090
01:04:21,900 --> 01:04:23,693
[laughing]
1091
01:04:23,777 --> 01:04:26,071
[woman] We get to the red
carpet unless we get lost.
1092
01:04:30,492 --> 01:04:32,535
[man indistinct]
..L.A. live.
1093
01:04:32,619 --> 01:04:34,347
[announcer] For best,
traditional, blues album,
1094
01:04:34,371 --> 01:04:38,500
the nominees are James Cotton,
Cyndi Lauper,
1095
01:04:38,583 --> 01:04:41,169
Charlie Musselwhite,
Pinetop Perkins
1096
01:04:41,252 --> 01:04:42,837
and Willie "Big Eyes" ” Smith.
1097
01:04:42,921 --> 01:04:45,048
- [man] Yeah!
- [announcer] Jimmie Vaughan.
1098
01:04:45,131 --> 01:04:47,592
And the Grammy goes
to Joined At The Hip,
1099
01:04:47,675 --> 01:04:52,013
Pinetop Perkins
and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith.
1100
01:04:52,097 --> 01:04:54,682
I think I was more
impatient than he was.
1101
01:04:54,766 --> 01:04:58,686
So when they did call
his name to, to come up,
1102
01:04:58,770 --> 01:05:00,355
he still was sitting there
1103
01:05:00,438 --> 01:05:01,856
and I'm jumping
all over the place,
1104
01:05:01,940 --> 01:05:03,417
jumping up and down,
jumping up saying,
1105
01:05:03,441 --> 01:05:04,441
"You won, you won."
1106
01:05:04,484 --> 01:05:05,318
And finally I shook him,
1107
01:05:05,402 --> 01:05:06,319
I said, "You won."
1108
01:05:06,403 --> 01:05:09,447
[upbeat blues music]
1109
01:05:11,950 --> 01:05:15,328
[crowd cheering]
1110
01:05:15,412 --> 01:05:18,998
Whoo! Whoo! Thank you,
thank you.
1111
01:05:19,082 --> 01:05:21,209
First of all... [chuckles]
1112
01:05:21,292 --> 01:05:23,896
I'm a little nervous now, I had
so much to say when I got up here
1113
01:05:23,920 --> 01:05:25,713
and I'm a little bit emotional,
I'm so glad,
1114
01:05:25,797 --> 01:05:28,508
I didn't ever thought
my heart would be this full.
1115
01:05:28,591 --> 01:05:30,260
But I'm, uh, I want to give,
1116
01:05:30,343 --> 01:05:33,304
first of all, all the thanks
go out to God Almighty.
1117
01:05:33,388 --> 01:05:34,722
That's who did this.
1118
01:05:34,806 --> 01:05:36,158
That's were the first
thanks go to.
1119
01:05:36,182 --> 01:05:38,268
The next thanks go to my wife,
1120
01:05:38,351 --> 01:05:40,311
that stood up with me,
stood behind me
1121
01:05:40,395 --> 01:05:43,231
through all these triumphs
and fails, we're here.
1122
01:05:43,314 --> 01:05:46,067
To win it with one
of his greatest friends
1123
01:05:46,151 --> 01:05:49,195
and one of the greatest,
top musicians.
1124
01:05:49,279 --> 01:05:52,490
So that made it even
more important to him.
1125
01:05:52,574 --> 01:05:54,200
Thanks to all of the people
1126
01:05:54,284 --> 01:05:55,910
that had something
to do with this.
1127
01:05:55,994 --> 01:05:58,079
I'm a little emotion...
Thank you.
1128
01:05:58,163 --> 01:05:59,622
[woman]
Whoo.
1129
01:06:01,958 --> 01:06:04,210
At this point, it must have had,
1130
01:06:04,294 --> 01:06:06,880
I hadn't, just to put it
in perspective,
1131
01:06:06,963 --> 01:06:08,465
about 53 years.
1132
01:06:10,216 --> 01:06:11,216
First one.
1133
01:06:12,385 --> 01:06:14,387
Well, what can I say?
1134
01:06:14,471 --> 01:06:17,265
It's better late than never.
[chuckles]
1135
01:06:17,348 --> 01:06:19,058
That's five decades, man.
1136
01:06:19,142 --> 01:06:21,394
That's a half of a
century that he put into it
1137
01:06:21,478 --> 01:06:23,563
and, to finally...
1138
01:06:24,856 --> 01:06:26,983
get the recognition, I guess.
1139
01:06:27,901 --> 01:06:30,403
And it was more of a...
1140
01:06:30,487 --> 01:06:33,823
I hate to use the word,
more of, uh...
1141
01:06:33,907 --> 01:06:35,325
a relief.
1142
01:06:35,408 --> 01:06:37,952
Like, "Yes,
now the world finally knows
1143
01:06:38,036 --> 01:06:39,638
what you've been through,
they know your story."
1144
01:06:39,662 --> 01:06:42,707
[crowd cheering]
1145
01:06:52,091 --> 01:06:53,134
[laughing]
1146
01:06:55,553 --> 01:06:57,931
[audience laughing]
1147
01:06:58,014 --> 01:07:01,059
[upbeat blues music]
1148
01:07:06,064 --> 01:07:09,859
♪ Got my mojo workin' ♪
1149
01:07:09,943 --> 01:07:12,320
♪ Got my mojo workin' ♪
1150
01:07:12,403 --> 01:07:13,947
[vocalizing]
1151
01:07:20,954 --> 01:07:23,957
[upbeat blues music]
1152
01:07:34,300 --> 01:07:36,594
[Pretty] Being able to
play in the '70s and '80s,
1153
01:07:37,637 --> 01:07:41,808
you have very few folks
1154
01:07:41,891 --> 01:07:44,185
who make it that far
1155
01:07:44,269 --> 01:07:47,313
and who can stay
in the music business.
1156
01:07:47,397 --> 01:07:50,441
[upbeat blues music]
1157
01:08:15,717 --> 01:08:18,720
[audience applauding]
1158
01:08:18,803 --> 01:08:21,306
Legendary bluesman
and Austin resident
1159
01:08:21,389 --> 01:08:23,057
Pinetop Perkins has died.
1160
01:08:23,141 --> 01:08:25,143
Tributes for legendary,
blues pianist,
1161
01:08:25,226 --> 01:08:27,270
Pinetop Perkins,
following his death.
1162
01:08:27,353 --> 01:08:29,981
He's being fondly remembered
as one of the last,
1163
01:08:30,064 --> 01:08:32,191
great, Mississippi bluesman.
1164
01:08:32,275 --> 01:08:34,115
[reporter] Just last
month, Joe Willie Perkins,
1165
01:08:34,193 --> 01:08:38,031
nicknamed Pinetop, became
the oldest, Grammy winner ever.
1166
01:08:39,324 --> 01:08:42,160
March 2011 to March 2012
1167
01:08:42,243 --> 01:08:44,829
was the biggest transition
my life will ever have.
1168
01:08:44,912 --> 01:08:47,957
[gentle music]
1169
01:08:50,168 --> 01:08:52,354
[Hugh] The last time I saw
Pinetop, he was holding a Grammy
1170
01:08:52,378 --> 01:08:53,378
at the Grammy Awards.
1171
01:08:53,421 --> 01:08:55,006
It was, like, perfect.
1172
01:08:55,089 --> 01:08:56,689
He always talked to me
about that trophy,
1173
01:08:56,716 --> 01:08:57,818
and the trophy was the Grammy.
1174
01:08:57,842 --> 01:08:59,010
He got his trophy,
1175
01:08:59,093 --> 01:09:02,221
went back to Austin a hero.
1176
01:09:02,305 --> 01:09:03,931
Went to bed and died.
1177
01:09:04,015 --> 01:09:06,851
I mean, at 97,
that's not a bad way to go.
1178
01:09:21,449 --> 01:09:23,910
[Kenny] He's one of the
nicest, most wonderful people
1179
01:09:23,993 --> 01:09:25,679
that you would ever meet
in your entire life.
1180
01:09:25,703 --> 01:09:27,914
He's the kind of guy
that I want to be, you know?
1181
01:09:27,997 --> 01:09:30,416
Both musically and personally.
1182
01:09:30,500 --> 01:09:31,918
He, he was just a,
1183
01:09:32,001 --> 01:09:34,337
an extraordinary example
of a human being.
1184
01:09:45,264 --> 01:09:50,561
When I feel sad, I, I try
to think about Willie's laugh.
1185
01:09:54,107 --> 01:09:57,276
I think about some of the silly
things that he did
1186
01:09:57,360 --> 01:10:00,113
and that push the sadness away.
1187
01:10:05,910 --> 01:10:10,164
[Marc] In 2011, Pinetop,
Hubert and Willie
1188
01:10:10,248 --> 01:10:14,293
all passed away within eight
months of each other.
1189
01:10:14,377 --> 01:10:16,421
[Javik] I was still coping
with the Pine thing,
1190
01:10:16,504 --> 01:10:18,381
and then Dad passed.
1191
01:10:18,464 --> 01:10:20,133
I tried to block that out.
1192
01:10:20,216 --> 01:10:21,926
Then Hubert passed,
1193
01:10:22,009 --> 01:10:24,887
which was literally just
a couple months after Willie.
1194
01:10:24,971 --> 01:10:26,764
It was just like
a domino effect, man.
1195
01:10:26,848 --> 01:10:29,434
It was just like, oh, man,
can I buy a break.
1196
01:10:31,602 --> 01:10:32,854
Those three guys, man.
1197
01:10:32,937 --> 01:10:34,939
It was a reason,
a lesson and a story
1198
01:10:35,022 --> 01:10:36,441
behind their passing, man.
1199
01:10:36,524 --> 01:10:37,751
That's just, that's just
how I had to keep
1200
01:10:37,775 --> 01:10:39,068
thinking and believing.
1201
01:10:46,242 --> 01:10:48,786
Still searching
for those answers, you know?
1202
01:10:50,079 --> 01:10:51,348
They're going
to let me know one day.
1203
01:10:51,372 --> 01:10:52,749
[chuckling] One day.
1204
01:11:01,090 --> 01:11:03,593
[Willie] I woke up with the
blues and keeping the blues alive.
1205
01:11:03,676 --> 01:11:05,928
You know, so that's it,
that's all we can do,
1206
01:11:06,012 --> 01:11:08,222
is try to keep the blues alive.
1207
01:11:08,347 --> 01:11:11,100
As long as you can do that,
they'll never die.
1208
01:11:12,059 --> 01:11:15,438
You got to think about the
younger generations, you know?
1209
01:11:15,521 --> 01:11:17,982
That's what, that's, that's what
all those changes come from.
1210
01:11:18,065 --> 01:11:19,776
If, if it were left up
to you and me,
1211
01:11:19,859 --> 01:11:21,652
things would never change.
1212
01:11:21,736 --> 01:11:22,779
When I play music,
1213
01:11:23,863 --> 01:11:25,656
it's like nothing else matters.
1214
01:11:26,532 --> 01:11:27,909
It's, it's...
1215
01:11:29,744 --> 01:11:34,248
it's like an escape
from reality for a second,
1216
01:11:34,373 --> 01:11:36,167
you know, when you're solo,
1217
01:11:36,250 --> 01:11:38,002
and you're, like, in the moment.
1218
01:11:38,085 --> 01:11:39,587
It's just you,
1219
01:11:39,670 --> 01:11:40,910
and your guitar and your music,
1220
01:11:40,963 --> 01:11:42,256
and that's all that matters.
1221
01:11:42,340 --> 01:11:45,384
[crickets chirping]
1222
01:11:53,559 --> 01:11:55,686
[car humming]
1223
01:11:55,770 --> 01:11:58,815
[upbeat blues guitar music]
1224
01:12:22,797 --> 01:12:25,800
[Austin] I never met
Pinetop or Hubert or Willie
1225
01:12:25,883 --> 01:12:27,635
but just listening
to those guys,
1226
01:12:27,718 --> 01:12:29,303
you almost feel
like you meet them,
1227
01:12:29,428 --> 01:12:30,572
through listening to them and,
1228
01:12:30,596 --> 01:12:32,306
and listening to their playing.
1229
01:12:32,431 --> 01:12:35,977
You almost get that connection
through their playing and,
1230
01:12:36,060 --> 01:12:39,188
I, I really don't know
what the blues world
1231
01:12:39,272 --> 01:12:41,190
or the music world, in general,
1232
01:12:41,274 --> 01:12:42,692
would be without those guys.
1233
01:12:43,609 --> 01:12:46,070
They were the sons of the blues,
1234
01:12:46,153 --> 01:12:48,322
and they were the fathers
of rock and roll.
1235
01:12:48,447 --> 01:12:51,409
[harmonica music]
1236
01:12:51,492 --> 01:12:53,327
That chord is
what keeps coolest.
1237
01:12:53,452 --> 01:12:56,789
[Gary] It was Pinetop's
vision to perpetuate the music
1238
01:12:56,873 --> 01:13:00,334
to carry on the tradition
of the blues
1239
01:13:00,418 --> 01:13:03,629
in that location right there
in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
1240
01:13:03,713 --> 01:13:07,008
Part of Pinetop's vision
was he wanted to keep
1241
01:13:07,091 --> 01:13:09,510
musicians like himself alive
1242
01:13:09,594 --> 01:13:11,804
playing music in,
into the future.
1243
01:13:11,888 --> 01:13:13,848
It displays the music
1244
01:13:13,931 --> 01:13:16,601
as a viable means
to make a livelihood.
1245
01:13:16,684 --> 01:13:19,353
I can't imagine
my life without the blues
1246
01:13:19,437 --> 01:13:23,024
and the guitar and, I would be,
I'd be just a normal kid.
1247
01:13:23,107 --> 01:13:25,943
I'd be that kid, you know, that
would want to stay in the house
1248
01:13:26,027 --> 01:13:28,070
and play video games all day.
1249
01:13:28,154 --> 01:13:30,754
That kid that just really don't
have nothing going for themselves.
1250
01:13:33,367 --> 01:13:36,245
Um, I was in my dad's
truck one day
1251
01:13:36,329 --> 01:13:40,374
and he put on the blues station and
I liked it. So... I started learning it.
1252
01:13:40,499 --> 01:13:42,376
[Joe]
Some of them are the next
1253
01:13:42,460 --> 01:13:44,045
generation, they're going to be
1254
01:13:44,128 --> 01:13:45,689
the ones that you hear,
you'll hear their names.
1255
01:13:45,713 --> 01:13:46,714
No doubt about it.
1256
01:13:46,797 --> 01:13:47,798
Yeah.
1257
01:13:47,882 --> 01:13:50,927
[upbeat blues guitar music]
1258
01:14:26,796 --> 01:14:30,675
[Willie] And I would like to
be remembered for who I am.
1259
01:14:30,758 --> 01:14:33,678
To me, a musician, you know?
Not, not good and not bad.
1260
01:14:33,761 --> 01:14:36,013
I don't want to be remembered
for, "Oh, he was great.”
1261
01:14:36,097 --> 01:14:38,808
Or "He was this." No, I just want
to be remembered for who I am.
1262
01:14:39,684 --> 01:14:42,228
Plain, old, Willie Smith.
1263
01:14:42,311 --> 01:14:43,813
[laughs]
1264
01:14:43,896 --> 01:14:46,899
[upbeat blues guitar music]
1265
01:14:48,693 --> 01:14:49,777
You got it.
1266
01:15:52,965 --> 01:15:56,135
♪ How can you forget ♪
1267
01:15:58,721 --> 01:16:02,892
♪ For long you've
been mistreated ♪
1268
01:16:03,768 --> 01:16:05,978
♪ When you spend
your life working ♪
1269
01:16:06,062 --> 01:16:09,273
♪ Your fingers to the bone ♪
1270
01:16:10,524 --> 01:16:14,862
♪ On a Mississippi
cotton field ♪
1271
01:16:14,945 --> 01:16:18,824
♪ Or in a Chicago speakeasy ♪
1272
01:16:18,908 --> 01:16:22,703
♪ Behind a microphone ♪
1273
01:16:23,746 --> 01:16:28,918
♪ Not everyone know your name ♪
1274
01:16:29,001 --> 01:16:34,507
♪ A lot of joy
but still that crushing pain ♪
1275
01:16:38,636 --> 01:16:44,100
♪ Well, everyone calls
on you to play the blues ♪
1276
01:16:48,521 --> 01:16:52,566
♪ You're just another
shade of gray ♪
1277
01:16:55,069 --> 01:17:01,659
♪ With very little to show
and a lot more to lose ♪
1278
01:17:11,377 --> 01:17:17,383
♪ Long, long, long
long, long, long ♪
1279
01:17:17,466 --> 01:17:23,764
♪ Long, long, long
long road to glory ♪
1280
01:17:23,848 --> 01:17:27,143
♪ Long road to glory ♪
1281
01:17:27,226 --> 01:17:30,604
♪ Long road to glory ♪
1282
01:17:30,729 --> 01:17:34,024
♪ Long road to glory ♪
1283
01:17:34,108 --> 01:17:37,236
♪ Long road to glory ♪
1284
01:17:58,549 --> 01:18:01,468
♪ Long road to glory ♪
1285
01:18:01,552 --> 01:18:04,597
♪ Long road to glory ♪
1286
01:18:04,680 --> 01:18:07,975
♪ Long road to glory ♪
1287
01:18:08,058 --> 01:18:11,395
♪ Long road to glory ♪
1288
01:18:11,478 --> 01:18:14,607
♪ Long road to glory ♪
1289
01:18:48,432 --> 01:18:51,560
[upbeat piano music]
1290
01:19:03,989 --> 01:19:04,990
[footsteps receding]
93720
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