The blues lineage reads like an Old Testament family tree. You can trace it back to Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, Son House, Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy and beyond. The next jump brings in Howlin’ Wolf, B.B. King, James Cotton and the Godfather of the Chicago blues, Muddy Waters. Muddy, his inspiration undeniable, has spawned countless blues and blues rock players and bands. But Muddy Waters himself had only a few that he ‘taught’ how to play and one of his ‘students’ (more of a band mate than a student) was Bob Margolin.
Bob Margolin was born in 1949 in Boston, Massachusetts but was raised in nearby Brookline. His early inspiration was, as so many of his generation, was the sinewy rhythm and blues and screaming electric tone of Chuck Berry and other early rock and rollers. The inquisitive Margolin traced back Berry’s influences and contemporaries and discovered the blues via Muddy Waters and the sound grabbed him deep.
It didn’t take him long to pick up a guitar and it set him on the path that he would follow throughout his life.
While still in high school Margolin began his apprenticeship in local rock acts all the while leaning more and more towards the blues. In college, Margolin began to play in Boston area blues bands including the aptly named ‘The Boston Blues Band’. It was during this time that Margolin decided to pursue music full-time. He joined up with former Waters sideman, Luther ‘Snake’ Johnson’s band who was Muddy’s choice as an opening band for him when he was in the Boston area. According to Margolin, this move led him into the sphere of Muddy Waters.
“In August, 1973, I went to see Muddy at Paul’s Mall in Boston. He had seen me in opening bands and had been very encouraging to me because I was trying to play his style of “Old School” (Muddy’s term) Chicago Blues. He had just lost long-time guitarist Sammy Lawhorn and he hired me to play in his band. While most musicians in modern times learn from listening to recordings, Muddy put me on his right side on the bandstand so I could watch him play guitar.”
The time spent in Muddy’s band was a learning experience. From ‘Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life And Times of Muddy Waters’ by Robert Gordon, Margolin said “Muddy used to say that there were two kinds of players: those who are born talented, and those who are built with ‘hammer and nails.’ I’m sure Muddy was the first kind, and though I may have a little talent and a lot of desire, I’m the second kind. I am indebted to the carpenter.”
Although Muddy initially did not warm up to the idea of ‘teaching’ Margolin anything, Margolin related that ‘I started to play ‘Can’t Be Satisfied’ which was my favorite song long before I knew Muddy. Immediately I heard a huge ‘Wrong!’ coming from the kitchen. Muddy wouldn’t pick up the guitar and show me but he sang the corrections at me. As well as I thought I knew the song, there were subtle nuances I was missing that were critical to him.”
Margolin stayed with Muddy from 1973 through 1980 and appeared on several of Muddy’s recordings (including the recordings he did at the end of his career that were produced by Johnny Winters and playing at Muddy’s right side during the filming of Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Last Waltz’). Not only did Margolin spend time learning the blues from Muddy Waters, he was also gaining valuable experience as day-to-day stage manager for the band.
After the demise of Muddy’s band in 1980, Margolin moved to Blacksburg, Virginia (and later to Greensboro, North Carolina) where he formed his own band and began to work the Piedmont area blues clubs. It didn’t take long for Margolin to garner a strong local following. For the next nine years, Margolin lived the life of so many blues performers from the past, roaming the local countryside living, learning and playing the blues, occasionally recording his live performances to give out to his friends but never recording anything for professional release.
On occasion, his past association with Muddy would create some opportunities like playing the New Orleans Jazz Festival in 1984 in a tribute to Muddy. He took the stage with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Etta James and Pinetop Perkins (another staple of Muddy’s band). During the 80’s, Margolin and his band opened up for acts like Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnny Winter and a The Fabulous Thunderbirds.
According to his autobiography on his website, Margolin notes that the blues scene was changing in late 80’s and people were not as inclined to go out to clubs but there were plenty of new blues bands appearing on the horizon. He knew he was going to have to cut an album and move to a national audience. He recorded his first disc ‘The Old School’ for Tom Principato’s Powerhouse Records in Washington, D.C. His second disc, also for Powerhouse, was 1990’s ‘Chicago Blues’. Both of these discs are now out of print.
It was during this time that Margolin began a second career. While scorching the Mid-Atlantic blues club scene and launching his national career, Margolin was approached by the editors of the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society to write an article about his long time friend harp player extraordinaire Carey Bell. Margolin found another voice, this one in print, and began writing blues albums reviews for ESP. After being interviewed for Blues Review Quarterly, Margolin approached the Editor and offered to write a column for them. He has been writing about the blues for a variety of magazines since offering up tips, advice of playing styles and remembrances of his life as a blues man ever since.
In 1993, he began recording his third album although he didn’t have a label at the time. He pulled in a host of fellow players and friends from his time on the road and from backing a number of products. He sent a rough cut of the disc to Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer. Initially Iglauer declined the disc but returned it to Margolin with some hints, criticism and advice suggesting he return to the studio. Margolin reworked the disc and some months later returned it to Iglauer. Alligator accepted the disc and released it as ‘Down In The Alley’ in 1993.
That disc along with Alligators distribution and marketing and signing with a new agency brought Margolin to a national audience. It also brought him to the attention of Billy Boy Arnold who brought Margolin on board to back him up the album ‘Eldorado Cadillac’.
In 1994, Margolin worked in a Muddy Waters tribute band and recorded the disc ‘You Gonna Miss Me When I Go – A Tribute To Muddy Waters’ as well as recording his second disc for Alligator Records ‘My Blues And My Guitar’ which was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award. The next few years were solid touring, hitting the clubs and festivals, gathering fans everywhere he played. In 1997, he recorded his third and final album for Alligator Records, ‘Up And In’.
In 1998 Margolin moved to Blind Pig Records (another premiere blues label based out of San Francisco) to record ‘Hold Me To It’.
It took 4 years for his next release, ‘The All-Star Blues Jam’ for Telearc Records. It was an interesting record in that a majority of it was recorded live at a gig in Salinas (although a few cuts were done ‘live’ at Margolins home) and the band included a great assemblage of blues pros from Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters various road outfits. The track, ‘Mean Old Chicago’, was written by Margolin while driving to blues legend Jimmie Roger’s funeral. The recording of the song included Rogers’s son, Jimmy D. Lane, on guitar.
In 2007, Margolin released what may be his most personal disc to date, ‘In North Carolina’, that he recorded at home alone. Through the use of over-dubbing, Margolin played every instrument on the album. In his autobiography posted on his website, Margolin said “I wanted to play the music that was in my heart, beyond the music I make on stage and in the recording studios, and take my time recording it”. To release this disc, Margolin formed his own label, Steady Rollin’ Records. The disc itself covers a variety of styles from jump blues to soul piercing, low down and dirty blues.
Margolin continues to tour, record and write steadily, bringing a sense of maturity to his blues that he has earned over the years.
[FONT=Tahoma]"All I can do is be me ... whoever that is". Bob Dylan [/FONT]
