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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
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Danny Starwars
88 posts
Apr 06, 2015
7:38 PM
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if you feel like; I was with a couple of friends arguing SBW vs Little Walter, and I landed halfway in between (kind of a synthesis to the thesis and antithesis of the argument lol). I felt LW was influential mostly because of technique and tone, but SBW was one of the most influential harp players ever in terms of riffs, etc.
Thoughts? Please show your working. :P
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jbone
1926 posts
Apr 06, 2015
9:39 PM
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First, are you talking SB the 1st or Aleck "Rice" Miller?
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indigo
86 posts
Apr 06, 2015
10:08 PM
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Well as far as influences go i'd have to say that L/W is the man as far as amplified Harp goes.He used amplification to create a'new' sound for the harmonica.
Whereas ,imo, SBW just played his usual country style blues, but through a PA.(to great effect)
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Danny Starwars
90 posts
Apr 06, 2015
10:35 PM
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jbone: SBW2, sorry
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jbone
1928 posts
Apr 07, 2015
3:57 AM
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I always have to ask that, a quirk of mine I guess!
It is such a tossup to me, Walter was the boss of Chicago blues harp for years and did so much to move the instrument forward. Yet Rice Miller, while he had a strange twist- stole another man's name- was also a hugely brilliant harp player and showman. Both men delved deeply into what a harmonica could do and how to make it a respected instrument.
Walter brought amped playing to the front and helped develop the Chicago electric sound. SBWII from all I've seen could use any p.a., mic/amp set or none at all, and make the harmonica do things very few can do well even today several decades after his passing.
I'm going to call it a draw, for me personally. Both men have been huge inspirations to me as a player and singer, and as is often the reality, I could never pick one "winner" and relegate the other to a back seat.
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rainman
171 posts
Apr 07, 2015
5:35 AM
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As far as material released I would give Little Walter the advantage. Juke, Rocker, Off The Wall, Mean old World, Roller Coaster, Boom Boom Out Goes the Light, would all be hard to find comparables in SBW2's library. I would admit SBW's Help Me is one of my favorite harp songs of all time.
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Owen Evans
4 posts
Apr 07, 2015
7:57 AM
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Interesting take on these two legends.
I would ask you to consider the original John Lee (Sonny Boy) Williamson, in this discussion. He, like Little Walter, died too early in life (age 34) but while he was on this earth, I believe his musical influence was just as prolific. To wit, he layed down tracks like: "Good Morning, School Girl", and thereafter his name was known for the blues harmonica for the next decade. Other well-known recordings of his include "Sugar Mama Blues", "Shake the Boogie", "You Better Cut That Out", "Sloppy Drunk", "Early in the Morning" and "Stop Breaking Down" and "Hoodoo Hoodoo" or "Hoodoo Man Blues". In 1947 "Shake the Boogie" made #4 on Billboard's Race Records chart.
Aleck Rice Miller lived 20 more years than his contemporaries which made his recordings more prolific. His well known recordings were "Dust My Broom"(with Elmore James) "Don't Start Me Talkin'", "Help Me", "Checkin' Up on My Baby", "Bring It On Home", "Eyesight to the Blind" and "Nine Below Zero" He never made Billboard magazines top ten? Although his influence musically went through a greater timespan since he lived longer. He mentored more musicians, as his gregarious nature made this possible.
Little Walter lived 37 years and had fifteen Billboard Magazine hits and two of them were number one, Juke and My Babe. One of his mentors was Rice Miller. We all know the stories of Little Walter, he wasn't the most gregarious guy. For the most informed story about him, read the definitive book about his life: Blues with a Feeling: The Little Walter Story by Tony Glover.
The winner of this debate in my eyes is you and I. Without the influence of these men on all harp players, there would be no debate.
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