Howlin' Wolf
1910–1976 (age 66)
Musician
Biography
Howlin' Wolf (1910–1976), born Chester Burnett, was one of the most powerful voices in the blues, blending Delta grit with electric Chicago fire to craft songs that still echo through the genre today. His commanding delivery on tracks like "Smokestack Lightnin'" and "Killing Floor" carried both menace and tenderness, proving that the blues could be as much about survival as it was about longing.
He spent his final years honoring that legacy, visiting stages and mentoring younger performers whenever he could, always aware of how far he had traveled from Mississippi to the city that embraced him. His spirit rests at Oakridge Glen Oaks Cemetery, near the neighborhoods where he made so many fans.