Hubert Sumlin, RIP

December 5, 2011

Hubert & Elvis Costello @ Wellmont Theater- 10/6/11 (more by Dana (distortion) Yavin)

Hubert Sumlin put the bite behind Howlin’ Wolf.

And he then influenced a new pack of electric blues and rock guitarists.

Mr. Sumlin died Sunday in a hospital in Wayne, N.J., reportedly of heart failure. He had turned 80 on Nov. 16. Mr. Sumlin was best known as lead guitarist for Howlin’ Wolf (Chester Burnett) from 1953 until Wolf’s death in 1976.

This was no small feat. The combustible guitar parts in Wolf’s big-voiced tracks — “Smokestack Lightning,” “Spoonful,” “Ain’t Superstitious” — set Wolf on fire at Sun Records in Memphis and later at Chess Records in Chicago. [Sun Times]

Rest in Peace Hubert.

Check out a video of Hubert performiung with Elvis Costello in NJ just two month ago (“In recent years Mr. Sumlin relocated from Chicago and then Milwaukee to Totowa, N.J.), and more, below…

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