Blues Society of Western PA - Newsletter

By Jimmy Adler

The first time I spoke with Hubert Sumlin was at the Lafayette Hotel in Marietta, Ohio some years back. Later, I caught up with him at the Wheeling Heritage and Blues Festival. Then when I played the Pittsburgh Blues Festival in 2006 I really got to hang out with him backstage and later that evening I had the pleasure of playing guitar with him and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith at Moondog’s. Next we met at Johnstown and finally back at Moondog’s where Hubert was performing with the Nighthawks. The next morning, I drove him to the airport and we talked all the way. Anyone who has ever met Hubert knows how friendly and effusive he is with people. It was a great ride.

The conversation captured on video by Jeff Kearns in the backroom of Moondog’s after the Nighthawks show is what this article will attempt to explore. It was not planned and Jeff just happened to capture me having conversation and picking the brain of one of my heroes, and one of America’s most innovative and influential blues guitarists.

Some of the questions I asked Hubert were designed to get inside information about his guitar playing and experiences. Other questions were asked so that he could elaborate on some funny and insightful stories that I heard him tell me in the past. (It’s a great joy to see Hubert laughing and recalling some off these stories).

The video is best broken down into seven parts.

Part 1 is about recording the Howling Wolf London Sessions record with Eric Clapton. To Clapton’s credit, it must be remembered that he was not willing to do the sessions unless Hubert was there. As Hubert states during the conversation, “We didn’t have no problem. As long as I was on that record, Eric played.”

Part 2 is when I asked Hubert to recall a funny story that I heard him tell before. The story had to do with recording the guitar track on “Shake for Me” at Chess Studios and Hubert was late for the session. As Hubert explains, “I was out with the little girls that night, and I was late….” Finally, he explains how Leonard Chess had paid to have other guitar players try to get the sound that was needed, but when Hubert arrived, he immediately got down to business and added one of his most unmistakable guitar voicings to the track. The other guitar players’ tracks were scrapped.

Part 3 has Hubert praising the Nighthawks: “What a band… if you can’t play better, they’ll make you play better!” He also greets Jim Franciscus (VP of BSWPA) and tells him how it was a blues society that helped him pay for his medical costs a few years back. (Hubert has had a lung removed and survived a heart attack).

Part 4 shows Hubert reminiscing while looking at photos a fan has just given him from a recent show. He also praises my guitar playing. “You’s a hell of a player man. You know how to play man… you do it as good as you do… I don’t forget.”

Part 5 is when I needed to redirect the focus back to Hubert’s guitar playing (although it was kind to hear him say a few good words about me). Hubert states, “I love what I’m doin’…” and then he goes on to trace his roots to Howlin’ Wolf and Charlie Patton. “Wolf played that shit just like Charlie man!” He connects the dots from Patton to Wolf to Sumlin.

Part 6 of the conversation is when I ask Hubert to talk about how he put down the pick and started playing with his fingers. Hubert tells how Wolf fired him on the bandstand in front of a large audience and how bad Hubert felt about being fired in front of all the people. It happened during the playing of “Smokestack Lightning”. Hubert later explains his reinstatement into the band (after working at home without a pick) when Wolf later calls him to the bandstand and calls him “son”. “And sure enough I got up there. The first note, [Wolf] knowed…” This was his rebirth and the moment that a guitarist was born. “This is the beginning,” Hubert recalls.

Part 7 has Hubert talking about the importance of playing with feeling and expressing emotions to the audience.

The next morning I drove him to the airport. He was still full of stories as we drove down the road. Hubert Sumlin has an instantly recognizable sound that cannot be written down on paper. His essence is all about feeling. The next chance you get to see Hubert, don’t miss out!