From:   Flippar
Date:  Wed Jan 9, 2002  7:34 pm
Subject:  Born To Be With You - Eddy Clearwater
 
EDDY CLEARWATER

Born Edward Harrington on January 10th 1935, Macon Mississippi.
Raised by grandparents on a farm and exposed to the whole range of Southern
music via the family wireless and old record player. A gospel singing uncle
taught him to play guitar (left handed), later he followed his uncle Houston
to Chicago in 1950, where his uncle had started a small record label called
Atomic (later Atomic-H).

Eddy cut a plethora of styles for many small labels,under names like Guitar
Eddy, before accepting the name Clear Waters (a pun on Muddy Waters).
Influenced originally by the West Side Chicago stylings of Otis Rush and
Magic Sam, he was turned into a rocker by 45s like Long Tall Sally and Oh
Baby Doll. His flamboyant stage act and flashy clothes got him noticed,
especially when combined with his fine imitation duck walk. Hillbilly Blues
on Atomic-H is worth checking out. As are the sides cut with multi racial
band Eddy Bell & Bel-Aires like The Masked Man and Johnny B Goode In
Hollywood. Redita have a compilation of the best of all these early sides. He
never had a hit record but his stage act kept him going financially.

Success came late to Eddy when the blues scene took him to their hearts in
the 70s. His penchant for rocking shone through many a session especially on
his fine self produced 2 X 9; album, which Charly put out here. Several
tours of Europe have followed over the years. A US live set, A Real Good
Time, in 1990 captures his stage craft well. His albums are usually a mixed
bags of styles but worth checking out for the rockers. The flashy clothes are
still there, notably a Red Indian`s head-dress giving him the nickname the
Chief, title of an 80s album on Rooster Blues. A fine example of if you don`t
at first succeed etc.
Recommended Listening
Hillbilly Blues Redita cd 145, with detailed notes by Berry expert Adriaan
Sturm, has 29 cuts of the early sides
2 X 9 Charly 1025 lp
The Chief -Rooster Blues 2615
A Real Good Time -Rooster