#LegendsoftheBluesPortraits

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"LET THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL SHINE HER LIGHT ON ME."

PIC INFO: Spotlight on an illustrated portrait of Lead Belly, a.k.a. Huddie Ledbetter (January 1888-December 6, 1949), artwork by William Stout for his "Legends of the Blues" portraits series, c. 2013.

Instruments: accordion, fiddle, 12-string guitar, mandolin, piano, violin, vocals.

Ledbetter, who served several stints in prison, once received a pardon after writing a song appealing to the governor.

Recommended tracks: “Black Betty,” “Gallis Pole,” “Boll Weevil,” “New Orleans (Rising Sun Blues),” “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?,” “The Bourgeois Blues.”

Source: www.motherjones.com/media/2016/04/cartoon-portraits-of-blues-legends.

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YOU WILL DEFER TO SHE AS "EMPRESS OF THE BLUES" -- NO MORE, NO LESS.

PIC INFO: Spotlight on a portrait of pioneering African-American blues and jazz singer Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937), artwork by William Stout for his "Legends of the Blues" portraits series.

MINI-BIO: "Widely renowned during the Jazz Age and nicknamed the "Empress of the Blues", she was the most popular female blues singer of the 1930s. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, she is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and was a major influence on fellow blues singers, as well as jazz vocalists."

-- WIKIPEDIA

Source: www.budsartbooks.com/product/more-legends-of-the-blues-card-set-by-william-stout.

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ROSY-CHEEKED KING OF THE BLUES.

PIC INFO: Spotlight on the late, great B.B. King (1925-2015), American blues guitarist/vocalist/singer-songwriter and all around legendary bluesman, artwork by William Stout for his "Legends of the Blues" (2013) portrait series.

MINI-BIO: "Riley B. King was born on September 16, 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi. After his father left the family, Riley grew up in his mother’s and grandmother’s homes. He worked as a sharecropper and sang gospel, then moved to Indianola, Mississippi, in 1943. Country and gospel were his first influences, followed by the music of T-Bone Walker, Lonnie Johnson, Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt. In 1946, he studied guitar for ten months in Memphis under his cousin, bluesman Bukka White. After months of hardship, Riley returned to Indianola.

King came back to Memphis in 1948, working at radio station WDIA as a singer and disc jockey, gaining the nickname “Beale Street Blues Boy,” (hence, “B.B.”; not “B. B.”, by the way). Upon first hearing T-Bone Walker, he promptly purchased an electric guitar. King cut tracks for Bullet, then began recording for RPM with (famed Elvis Presley) producer Sam Phillips. King’s first R&B #1 was Lowell Fulson’s “Three O’Clock Blues” (1951).

In the mid-1950s, while B.B. was performing at an Arkansas dance, a kerosene stove got knocked over during a fight, setting the place ablaze. B.B. raced outdoors with the crowd. Realizing he had left his beloved $30 acoustic guitar inside, he rushed back in to retrieve it, narrowly escaping death. After finding out the brawl had been over a woman named Lucille, he named his guitar “Lucille” as a reminder never to be so crazy as to fight over a woman. Since then, each of his Gibson guitars has been named Lucille. The original Lucille was stolen from his car’s trunk in Brooklyn. He offered a $20,000 reward but no one ever came forward. He eventually had an open offer of $100,000 for the return of that beloved guitar."

-- WILLIAM STOUT, slightly revised B.B. bio from WS's "Legends of the Blues" book

Sources: www.comicsgrinder.com/2013/06/14/review-legends-of-the-blues-by-william-stout and www.williamstout.com/news/journal/2015/05/15/b-b-king-1925-2015.

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"...I CHANGED HIS PUPILS INTO SKULLS -- AN INDICATION OF ROBERT'S SHORT, VIOLENT LIFE."

PIC INFO: Spotlight on portrait of mythical bluesman Robert Johnson, a.k.a. Robert Leroy Dodds (May 8, 1911-August 16, 1938), illustrated by William Stout for his "Legends of the Blues" (2013) portraits series.

Instruments: guitar, vocals.

Johnson was rumored to have sold his soul to the devil for tuning his guitar just so. The influential blues master has been covered by the likes of CREAM, FLEETWOOD MAC, LED ZEPPELIN, and the ROLLING STONES.

Recommended tracks: “Crossroads Blues,” “Love in Vain,” “Have You Ever Been Lonely,” “Hellhound on My Trail,” “Stop Breakin’ Down Blues,” “From Four Until Late,” “Traveling Riverside Blues,” “Come On in My Kitchen.”

"I was extremely happy to learn that the legendary bluesman Robert Johnson was not part of Robert Crumb’s blues card set. His was one of the first portraits I felt compelled to draw. This particular image of mine is so popular that I have painted four different versions of it, including one in oil paints. In my portrait of him I changed his pupils into skulls – an indication of Robert’s short, violent life."

-- WILLIAM STOUT (American painter/illustrator/blues music aficionado) on his Robert Johnson portrait

Source: www.loudersound.com/features/william-stout-s-portraits-of-the-biggest-names-in-blues.

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THE BIGGEST BLUES-SINGIN' MAMA YOU'VE EVER SEEN -- NO ONE BIGGER.

PIC INFO: Spotlight on illustrated portrait of Willie Mae Thornton (1926 – 1984), better known as Big Mama Thornton, American singer-songwriter of blues and rhythm & blues (pre-rock 'n' roll), from William Stout's "Legends of the Blues" portraits series, c. 2013.

Main instrument: Vocals, harmonica, drums

Born: Ariton, Alabama; December 11, 1926

Died: Los Angeles, California; July 25, 1984

Recommended cuts: "Hound Dog," "Ball 'n' Chain," "Chauffeur Blues," "Mercy," "My Heavy Load."

Interesting covers: "Hound Dog" (ELVIS PRESLEY), "Ball 'n' Chain" (BIG BROTHER & THE HOLDING COMPANY), "Chauffeur Blues" (JEFFERSON AIRPLANE).

Source: www.dionysusrecords.com/home/category/stuff-we-like.

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ANY OLD TIME YOU'VE GOT THE BLUES, SHE'LL SOOTHE THEM AWAY FOR YA.

PIC INFO: Spotlight on American jazz and swing music singer, Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959), nicknamed "Lady Day," illustrated by William Stout for his "Legends of the Blues" portraits series.

MINI-OVERVIEW: "After hearing her music and learning her heartbreaking life story, I couldn’t help but fall in love with Lady Day. Her rendition of the controversial "Strange Fruit" haunts me to this very day.

In drawing and painting her portrait I tried to emphasise Billie’s beauty, her femininity and her elegance."

-- WILLIAM STOUT (American painter/illustrator/blues aficionado) on Billie Holiday (and her portrait)

Source: www.loudersound.com/features/william-stout-s-portraits-of-the-biggest-names-in-blues.

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"MORE THAN ANY OTHER BLUESMAN, CHESTER BURNETT WAS THE MAN."

NOTE: Didn't know which one I liked best, so, here's two illustrations, with differing color schemes, of the Big Bad Wolf.

MINI-OVERVIEW: "Of all the men and women in my book, Howlin’ Wolf was the one who ultimately commanded my respect and admiration more than anyone else.

Chess Records’ nickname was Cadillac Records. Part of their negotiating savvy included presenting a new Cadillac to whomever they wanted to sign to the label – neglecting, however, to inform their future stablemate that the Cadillac was not actually a gift, it was coming out of the musician’s future royalties. They couldn’t do that with Wolf. Chester Burnett (Wolf’s real name) was already a star in Memphis when he was approached by Chess Records. When the Wolf arrived in Chicago to negotiate his deal with Chess, he already owned a new car. He arrived in Chicago with thousands of dollars cash in his pockets – unheard of for a bluesman back then. He was able to cut himself a good deal. A high school dropout, Wolf used some of his Chess money to finish high school. He then enrolled in a Chicago business college, figuring that if he were a good businessman he could hire the best backing band in Chicago. On top of all that he became the first blues bandleader to give his musicians health care benefits. More than any other bluesman, Chester Burnett was The Man.

In his portrait I played up his spooky stage persona (full moon, a bat and a haunting bare tree) yet also attempted to capture the kind, engaging gentleman lurking within the crazed singer who scarily stalked the stage."

-- WILLIAM STOUT (American painter/illustrator/blues music aficionado) on Howlin' Wolf

Source: www.loudersound.com/features/william-stout-s-portraits-of-the-biggest-names-in-blues.

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"I'M A ROADRUNNER, HONEY, AND YOU CAN'T KEEP UP WITH ME."

PIC INFO: Spotlight on one of rock and roll's founding fathers, "The Originator" himself -- the late, great Bo Diddley (1928-2008), artwork by William Stout for his "Legends of the Blues" portraits series.

"For a while, Bo Diddley lived in nearby Granada Hills. He gave a free concert one afternoon at Cal State University, Northridge. The guitar player in my band, James Demeter (now a famous musical equipment maker to the stars), attended CSN and caught the concert. Unfortunately, Bo’s band got frozen in traffic and never made it to the show, so Bo decided to play his entire set solo.

After hearing that Bo had lost his backing band that afternoon, I asked Jamie: “So, how was Bo, how was the show?”

“It was simply the greatest concert I have ever seen.”

One of my favourite Bo Diddley songs is "Road Runner," hence the inclusion in his portrait of the cartoon character who inspired the song – along with Bo’s trademark rectangular guitar. "Beep beep!""

-- WILLIAM STOUT (American artist/painter/illustration)

Source: www.budsartbooks.com/product/legends-of-the-blues-card-set-by-william-stout.

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KING OF THE KING BEES -- PLAYED THE MEANEST BLUES HARP EVER HEARD.

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on American blues musician "Slim Harpo," born James Isaac Moore (January 11, 1924-January 31, 1970), as illustrated by William Stout for his "Legends of the Blues" portraits series. Though also a guitarist, SH is most notably recognized as a blues harpist and vocalist.

MINI-BIO: "Music was always a side job for Slim, whose tunes were nonetheless covered by, among others, THE KINKS, THE ROLLING STONES, THE WHO, and THE YARDBIRDS. Recommended tracks:

“I’m a King Bee,” “I Got Love If You Want It,” “Rainin’ in My Heart,” “Baby Scratch My Back,” and “Shake Your Hips.”

-- MOTHER JONES, "13 Cartoon Portraits of Legendary Blues Artists," c. April 2016

Source: www.motherjones.com/media/2016/04/cartoon-portraits-of-blues-legends.

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MANNISH [POSTER] BOY FOR POST-WAR CHICAGO BLUES & CHESS RECORDS.

NOTE: ^See what I did there. Only hardcore blues nuts will know.

PIC INFO: Spotlight on the crucial electric bluesman who in the 1940s and 1950s led the way in transforming traditional Delta blues into the electric Chicago blues style that paved the road to rock ‘n’ roll -- MUDDY WATERS (1914-1983), illustrated by William Stout for his "Legends of the Blues" portraits series.

"Perhaps no other player represents post-war Chicago blues and Chess Records like Muddy Waters does. Sexy, classy, admired and feared, Muddy excited groups like THE ROLLING STONES and MANFRED MANN. His thrilling records were covered by most of the British blues bands. Muddy's recording of Willie Dixon's "You Need Love" was lifted by the SMALL FACES and perfromed as "You Need Loving" on one of their first LP's. Robert Plant saw the Small Faces perform it live, then turned it into LED ZEPPELIN's "Whole Lotta Love," not realizing the song's earlier origins.

"What color should I make the background?," was a question I often asked myself during the creation of "Legends of the Blues," wanting as much variety as possible. In Muddy's case the choice was obvious: something suggesting the color of mud."

-- WILLIAM STOUT (American painter/fantasy artist/illustrator/blues music aficionado)

Source: www.pinterest.com/pin/435582595181080137.

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NEVER HAD A "MIC DROP" BECAUSE HE NEVER NEEDED A MIC.

PIC INFO: Spotlight on "the brawny voiced 'Boss of the Blues," Big Joe Turner, American vocalist of swing, blues, jump blues, and rock 'n' roll styles. Artwork by William Stout.

MINI-BIO: "Big Joe Turner, a.k.a. Joseph Vernon Turner Jr. (May 18, 1911-November 24 1985). Instrument: vocals. Turner’s voice was so big he could rock a gin joint without a mic. He became a hit machine during the early ’50s with several No. 1 hits. Recommended tracks: “Roll ‘Em, Pete,” “Honey Hush,” “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” “Flip Flop and Fly,” “Cherry Red,” “Wee Baby Blues,” “Midnight Special.""

-- LEGENDS OF THE BLUES, written & illustrated by William Stout, c. 2013

Source: Mother Jones, "13 Cartoon Portraits of Legendary Blues Artists," c. 2016