# Blues guitar vocalists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782 "2014-06-14T17:15:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/1 "2014-06-14T17:15:31Z")
Okay, you’ve got blues guitarists who also sing (though not necessarily at the same time, like B.B. King). Are there any blues guitarists who are strongly associated with vocalists other than themselves? (Calling **WordMan**. . . ) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/2 "2014-06-14T17:23:12Z")
> **[Hubert Sumlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Sumlin)** > > Hubert Charles Sumlin (November 16, 1931 – December 4, 2011) was a Chicago blues guitarist and singer, best known for his "wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic suspensions" as a member of Howlin' Wolf's band. He was ranked number 43 in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". > Sumlin was born in Greenwood, Mississippi, and raised in Hughes, Arkansas. He got his first guitar when he was eight years old. As a boy, he met Howlin' Wolf b... Hubert Sumlin was most widely known as Howlin’ Wolf’s guitar player, but he also sang, too. If Jeff Beck and Gary Moore count as Blues guitarists, J.B. is to Rod Stewart as Gary Moore is to Phil Lynot. Although both of these guys sing a little, too: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xhpgepbvIhY/hqdefault.jpg "Jeff Beck - Hi Ho Silver Lining") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhpgepbvIhY) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/3 "2014-06-14T17:33:24Z")
Man, I’d forgotten Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck – last time I saw him, he had [Imelda May doing the honors](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhC-V-sjN4k). ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/4 "2014-06-14T17:41:29Z")
[Willie Brown](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Brown_%28musician%29) is an early example, although it doesn’t seem that he was \*\*strongly \*\*associated with any one singer in particular. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/5 "2014-06-14T17:49:27Z")
Right, the question is not just “who didn’t sing,” but “and had a singer who was an important, identifiable part of the sound.” (Saw Kenny Wayne Shepherd last night, and his singer is an effin’ tool, which has me thinking about blues guitar and the role of the non-guitarist singer.) ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/6 "2014-06-15T05:29:50Z")
Who is Matt Guitar Murphy? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/7 "2014-06-15T06:03:14Z")
You’re looking for a blues guitarist who’s not only well known themselves but also primarily plays with a the same well known singer. How about Jimi Page and Robert Plant. JJ Cale is _typically_ associated with Eric Clapton. And since Twix started the thread and didn’t mention them so I’m assuming she left them out on purpose, Tedeschi/Trucks. Admittedly, I don’t know enough about them to tell you if it fits the category other then that I know that Derek plays the blues and I don’t think I’ve ever heard his voice, even talking and Susan was getting around (vocally anyways) before they teamed up, so it seems like it fits the bill. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/8 "2014-06-15T10:47:23Z")
Page and Plant came to mind, but they aren’t first-gen Delta or Chicago Blues. Hubert Sumlin comes to mind first for Howlin’ Wolf - already mentioned. This is an interesting question. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/9 "2014-06-15T12:39:18Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Who is Matt Guitar Murphy? Along similar lines, Steve Cropper was the “House Guitarist” for Stax Records in Memphis, and is associated with lots of singers, including Otis Redding and Booker T. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/10 "2014-06-15T14:30:38Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > And since Twix started the thread and didn’t mention them so I’m assuming she left them out on purpose, Tedeschi/Trucks. Admittedly, I don’t know enough about them to tell you if it fits the category other then that I know that Derek plays the blues and I don’t think I’ve ever heard his voice, even talking and Susan was getting around (vocally anyways) before they teamed up, so it seems like it fits the bill. Left them out on purpose, yes, but because I was thinking of the Derek Trucks Band, for which Mike Mattison did the vocals (including band member intros). I have parted ways with him since Tedeschi-Trucks became his main project – but that’s a subject for a different essay. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/11 "2014-06-15T14:38:20Z")
And re: Led Zeppelin – excluded them because their primary persona is through the band – which is also why I excluded Keith Richards and Pete Townshend. Basically, what I’m working on has morphed into a consideration of guitar god-hood, which makes Clapton an interesting case, since he moved from being a member of a group (and some seriously killer groups) to primarily fronting his own stuff with his first solo album in 1970 – though it took another four years for that persona to really gel, with the release of “Ocean Blvd.” in 1974. And it’s with his solo career that we really start hearing his voice (sic) as a singer. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/12 "2014-06-15T15:19:40Z")
J. Geils. Even though the band is named for him, the singer was Peter Wolf. There’s also [Jimmy Johnson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Johnson_(musician)), though he was primarily a sessions musician. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/13 "2014-06-15T15:37:02Z")
Paul Butterfield was a vocalist and harmonica player. some people he played with like Mike Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop didn’t sing. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/14 "2014-06-16T13:58:47Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > And re: Led Zeppelin – excluded them because their primary persona is through the band – which is also why I excluded Keith Richards and Pete Townshend. Although, he does sing, I believe Mick Taylor is still primarily known for his work with the Stones. What about Santana? Also, while not technically a “blues” guitarist, James Burton will always be tied to Elvis (among others). ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/15 "2014-06-16T14:43:11Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Right, the question is not just “who didn’t sing,” but “and had a singer who was an important, identifiable part of the sound.” (Saw Kenny Wayne Shepherd last night, and his singer is an effin’ tool, which has me thinking about blues guitar and the role of the non-guitarist singer.) Doesn’t KWS sing, though? At least he did on the first few albums IIRC. How about Randy Bachman while he was with Guess Who? Some bluesyness there. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/16 "2014-06-16T15:54:00Z")
[Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets featuring Sam Myers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxFEAtqwofs). Sam did vocals and played harp. Anson played guitar. Fantastic pairing right up to Sam’s death a few years ago. Sam was blind. He would show up at a venue and memorize his walk to the stage, practicing it over and over. He was _very_ touchy about his situation. I saw him play a small local club one night. The band played a few songs, then Sam began his walk to the stage. People were cheering. A guy sitting near me started to stand up and I reached out to grab his arm, but he shook me off. He approached Sam and took his arm. Sam screamed, “get the fuck off me!” Sam Myers, RIP. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/17 "2014-06-16T20:12:21Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > Doesn’t KWS sing, though? At least he did on the first few albums IIRC. Yeah, he does, making his use of this second singer all the more bewildering. It’s not like he [the tool] has a great, distinctive voice. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/18 "2014-06-16T22:35:24Z")
I have been on the road and swamped at work. I have to get some bandwidth to noodle this. I would never’ve guessed it was this hard. Interesting commentary on how blues musicians came together - lots of studio work, and blues guitarists having to do a lot of solo gigs, I guess… ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/19 "2014-06-18T00:56:27Z")
I went in a different direction than the one I started with (see the OP): [here](http://bit.ly/1lQQSJM)’s where I ended up in my thinking on vocalists. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782/20 "2014-06-18T22:32:13Z")
Would Peter Green or Billy Gibbons make the cut? They sing but not all the time… or, Robin Trower? I mentioned this post and my work buddy has been throwing suggestions. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blues-guitar-vocalists/690782.md?page=2)