Muddy Waters and his disciples trade licks in a one-night-only Chicago church of blues.
In July 1974, a group of Chicago based blues artists who had already achieved legendary status gathered together with some of their younger "blues brethren" from all over the country to pay tribute to the man most responsible for bringing blues from the Mississippi Delta upriver to Chicago, Muddy Waters. Appearing with Muddy that night were his contemporaries Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor, Junior Wells and Pinetop Perkins, and from the next generation of blues lovers and performers, Mike Bloomfield, Buddy Miles, Johnny Winter, Dr. John, and Nick Gravenites -- all artists who were on their way to becoming legends themselves. What resulted from that joyous teaming was a truly historic session that not only presented some of the greatest blues classics ever written, but a never-to-be-forgotten hour that truly demonstrates the love of music by one generation for another.
Acting
Muddy's commanding presence—part preacher, part seducer.
Sound
Johnny Winter's piercing slide cutting through the Chicago humidity.
Production
Raw PBS capture that accidentally became sacred document.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This PBS 'Soundstage' episode aired once in 1974, then sat untouched in a vault for decades before restoration. Fans traded degraded VHS bootlegs like contraband.
The Delta-to-Chicago migration Muddy represents literally reshaped American music; this concert is the map of that journey made flesh and electricity.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
