Muddy

Muddy Waters was never good at doing what he was told. When his grandma said that blues music wouldn't put food on the table, Muddy didn't listen. And when record producers told him no one wanted to listen to a country boy playing country blues, Muddy ignored them, too. This tenacious streak carried Muddy from the hardscrabble fields of Mississippi to the smoky juke joints of Chicago and finally to a recording studio where Muddy's signature sound was captured and a landmark record was made. 

To have the blues was to feel bad. But to play the blues was to take that low-down, skunk-funk, deep-stomach hurt and turn it into something else. And Muddy liked that. Soon the world fell in love with the indomitable spirit of Muddy Waters, whose fierce and electric sound laid the groundwork for what would become rock and roll.

In blues-infused prose and soulful illustrations, Michael Mahin and award-winning artist Evan Turk tell Muddy's story of struggle, determination, and hope. The Author's Note at the end of the book gives more biographical information on Muddy Waters. Also included are suggestions for further reading and listening.