Page 70 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2018

to Europe to perform at blues festivals – if she’d learn some Chester Burnett a.k.a Howlin' Wolf met Barbra and
blues songs. He gave her 20 songs and she learned them all. Bettye’s mom, Lillie, at a club in Chicago and soon after, they
“I never turned back after that and now I’m finishing my sixth fell in love. Barbra and Bettye were young girls when Howlin’
blues album. My daddy would be so proud of me.” Teeny Wolf came into their lives. It was a love affair with Lillie and
received high praise for her tribute to Rosetta Tharpe’s 100th the girls that lasted until his untimely death in 1976 resulting
anniversary at Briggs Farm in Nescopeck, PA. Her educational from a kidney operation.
program and master classes on Women In The Blues feature Wolf was one of the most influential blues musicians of all
iconic blues women and is an annual presentation at Mississippi time. A true ambassador of the blues, he brought the music
Valley State. of the Mississippi Delta to Chicago. In 1951, “Moanin’ at
Midnight” became his first R&B hit song. Among his top hits
were “Spoonful,” Killing Floor,” and Barbra and Bettye’s
favorite song, “Smokestack Lightnin’.” The songs became
international hits when covered by rock stars such as the
Grateful Dead, The Yardbirds, Cream, The Doors and Led
Zeppelin. Wolf was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of
Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame and received an honorary
doctorate from Columbia College in Chicago.
“The impact of his success never changed him. He
remained humble. Even when he was on Shindig in 1965
we said, ‘Daddy you are going to be on T.V.’ and he said, ‘I
know, I will see it later,’ and just went on the rest of his day.
He felt blessed to be making music that people loved,” said
Barbra. That day was historic; Wolf was one of the first black
bluesmen on television.
“It is our mission to carry on the Howlin’ Wolf legacy.
Through the Howlin' Wolf Foundation we are working hard
to keep the memory of our father and his music alive,” said
Bettye.

So many of these bluesmen who blazed a trail are gone,
but the daughters of the blues are the dream weavers, the
storytellers, the music makers, the gatekeepers to keeping
their fathers’ legacies alive. With so many stories to tell, look
out for more from the daughters of the blues in next year’s
magazine!

For the past 15 years Lynn Orman Weiss has preserved stories
Barbra Marks (top) and Bettye Kelly (bottom) with their mother Lillie and loving of blues legends and the history of the blues as a journalist,
stepfather Chester Burnett a.k.a Howlin’ Wolf. photographer and “storyographer.” She is the co-producer of
Photos courtesy of Barbra Marks and Bettye Kelly
the documentary Six Generations of the Blues; contributing
writer to Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine and Buddy
Barbra Marks and Bettye Kelly / Guy Magazine; does publicity work for David “Honeyboy”
Howlin’ Wolf (Chester Burnett) Edwards, Bobby Rush, Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater, Ella
On stage, Howlin’ Wolf would stir up a crowd, build up Jenkins and Holle Thee Maxwell; helped establish the PCa
a frenzy and heat up a room… even put a little fear into Blue Foundation; broadcasts a weekly blues radio program
the audience. Standing at 6’3” and 300 pounds, he loomed on Chicago’s WLUW and WNUR stations; and is the founder
larger than life. At home, he was a gentle giant. “You could of Blues On The North Shore and Women Of The Blues
hear a little acoustic guitar all night long. When Daddy was Foundation, which curates a traveling exhibit, Women of
home from a tour, he would go into his music room. It was a the Blues: A Coast To Coast Collection. Connect with Lynn:
beautiful way to fall asleep. Sometimes when I woke up to go ormanmusic@gmail.com, Facebook/Orman Music & Media
to school, I would find little scribbles of paper with lyrics on Group, Facebook/Blues On the North Shore, Twitter/Lynn
them,” remembers Barbra Marks. Orman Weiss and Womenoftheblues.com.

68 Blues Festival Guide 2018