The Howlin' Wolf Story - The Secret History of Rock & Roll

Few if any figures in blues loom as large as Howlin' Wolf, yet there's been a sad lack of footage of this staggering specimen. This director's cut from the When the Sun Goes Down-The Secret History of Rock & Roll series is packed with never-before-seen live footage, rare Shindig footage presented by Mick Jagger and Brian Jones, interviews with bandmates and family and more. An absolute must for blues fans!

What better way to cap off 2003, the "Year of the Blues," than with this eminently watchable documentary about Chester A. Burnett, better known as Howlin' Wolf? Arguably second only to Muddy Waters among the Mississippi Delta singers who traveled north and pioneered urban electric blues (their supposed rivalry is the subject of one of this DVD's bonus features), Wolf was a big, imposing man with an inimitable, booming voice and a lasting influence on generations of rock & rollers--all of which comes across in the 90-minute film. Not only do we get a history of his life (told by family members, musical associates like longtime guitarist Hubert Sumlin, and Wolf himself) that's far more entertaining than the norm for this genre, we also get some history of the blues in general. And not only do we hear snippets of Wolf's music, we hear several complete songs, including some priceless filmed performances. Quite simply, this one should become a touchstone for documentaries of its kind. --Sam Graham