Tighten Up Your Wig...

For this week's blues artist spotlight, we turn to Junior Wells. "Junior," (December 9, 1934 – January 15, 1998[1]), born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr.,was a blues vocalist and harmonica player and recording artist based in Chicago, who was also famous for playing with Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones and Van Morrison. In Aces Wild we cover his "Messin' with the Kid." What I want to highlight today, though, is a song by Steppenwolf called "Tighten Up Your Wig," which is really "Messin'" with different words - John Kay does acknowledge Junior Wells in the lyrics to the song, and that he "stole this from him, and he from someone else". Just goes to show,again, how riffs and ideas for songs are freely lifted from what has come before (I will freely acknowledge that I steal my chord progressions from Buddy Holly). Check out the Steppenwolf song along with Junior's orginal, and come listen to Aces Wild's version live at the Hidden Harbor Bar in St. Paul Park on 12-11. Thanks to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junior_Wells for the info, and keep on rockin'!