Week 33
Sonny Boy Williamson, His Best
(MCA/Chess 9377)

The blues offers hundreds of instances of interesting and colorful name changes, among them McKinley Morganfield ("Muddy Waters") and Chester Arthur Burnett ("Howlin' Wolf"). Perhaps the most interesting, however, is that of harmonica ("harp") player Aleck "Rice" Miller. In 1941, as star of the pioneering daily blues broadcast "King Biscuit Time," he adopted the name "Sonny Boy Williamson,” which happened to already be in use by one of the biggest blues stars of the day.

While the motivations behind Miller's name change remain a compelling mystery, there remains little doubt that he was one of the most influential and accomplished blues harp players of all time. Now conventionally referred to as "Sonny Boy II," his legacy eventually eclipsed that of the other Sonny Boy, particularly after Sonny Boy II relocated to Chicago from Arkansas in 1955 to record for Chess Records.

This collection gathers 20 tracks from Sonny Boy II's decade with Chess. Ranging from self-effacing songs of small-town gossip to smoky, sinister tales of retribution, they highlight his unique songwriting and lyrical imagery and resound with his fluid, highly melodic harp playing. His accompaniment, including at times Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, and Williamson's King Biscuit colleague Robert "Junior" Lockwood, is similarly stellar.

Released in 1997 as part of the Chess Records 50th Anniversary Series, all tracks on this edition have been digitally remastered, resulting in exceptional sound quality. For a more extensive listen into Williamson's legacy, the double disc compilation The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson, released in 1993, is also recommended.

Listen: Sonny Boy Williamson - "Fattening Frogs for Snakes"
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