Paul Butterfield retrospective, part 3, with Tom Ellis
Tom Ellis joins me on episode 132 for another look into the life and career of the legendary Paul Butterfield.
Butter gained access to the Chicago blues scene at a young age when his lawyer father carried out pro bono work for some of the musicians there. The black blues musicians took a paternal interest in Paul’s musical development, none more so than Muddy Waters who knew Butter from around the age of sixteen. Butter later returned the favour after having made his own name. He gave something back to Muddy by recording the Fathers and Sons album with him in 1969, followed by a second album with Muddy, The Woodstock album in 1975.
Tom then goes on to tell us about how Butter changed his sound during the middle part of his career with the release of the two Better Days albums in 1973, producing possibly the first Americana albums, and seeing Butter having developed into a more nuanced harmonica player.
Links:
Tom article on Substack platform: https://ellist.substack.com/p/down-by-the-river
Article on the Super Cosmic Joy-Scout Jamboree concert (Father and Sons): https://bobsblog73.wordpress.com/2015/04/16/super-cosmic-joy-scout-jamboree-april-1969/
Fathers and Sons album blog by David Hawkins: https://paulbutterfield.blogspot.com/2014/03/37-fathers-and-sons.html
Butter on the Woodstock album blog by David Hawkins: https://paulbutterfield.blogspot.com/2016/10/61-muddy-waters-woodstock-album.html
Videos:
Mannish Boy in Last Waltz concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGG-oBrmzbQ
Butter on Midnight Special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZhfIOuiPe4
Bonnie Raitt live with Butter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZOdeROUz2U
Playing Why Are People Like That on David Letterman show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDvdTabtRN0
Podcast website:
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Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
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Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com
Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast
The Happy Hour Harmonica podcast brings profiles of some of the top harmonica players and technicians today.
The podcast is sponsored by Seydel harmonicas. Check out their great range of products at www.seydel1847.com.
If you would like to make a voluntary contribution to help keep the podcast running then please use this link: https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour.
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- No. of episodes: 132
- Latest episode: 2025-03-22
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