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View Full Version : Did Muddy Waters do scat singing?


moon_jam
Jan 21, 2013, 11:10 AM
I'm researching Muddy Waters and found this on the internet
'His electrically amplified band, including pianist Otis Spann and harmonica virtuoso Little Walter, created integral support for Waters' passionate singing, which featured dramatic shouts, swoops, and falsetto moans.'
Is this saying he did scat singing, because I didn't think this was usually in his style.

dontknownuthin
Jan 21, 2013, 11:21 AM
I would describe him more as a Chicago blues guy, raw, gravelly, expressive with a sense of humor. He settled into his deep voice but played around a bit with the growls and occasional falsetto. Scat though is just more of a vocal running around with syllables that don't form words - Muddy Waters sang -- the words mattered. I never heard him sing scat, but saw him sing with friends who did a bit of scat.

I saw him live many times here in Chicago and always came away feeling like he had a perfect balance of roughness and smooth. To me, he was the best blues singer of all time... I know that kind of comment could start a never ending argument comparing all the greats, but for me, it was Muddy Waters. I'll never forget when he died. I had tickets to see him a few days later, and man - that was a tough one.