简介：byBillDahl OncedismissedbypuristsasaChuckBerryimitator(andanaccurateoneatthat),tall,lean,andlankyChicagosouthpawEddyClearwaterisnowrecognizedasaprimeprogenitorofWestSidestylebluesguitar.ThatsnottosayhewontlivenupagigwithalittleduckwalkingorafratpartyrenditionofShout;afterall,Clearwaterbringsawidearrayofinfluencestotheparty.Gospel,country,50srock,anddeepdownbluesareallincorporatedintohisslashingguitarattack.Butwhenheputshismindtoit,TheChief(anicknameaccruedfromhispenchantfordonningNativeAmericanheaddressesonstage)isoneoftheWindyCitysfinestbluesmen. EddyHarringtonsplitBirmingham,AL,forChicagoin1950,initiallybillinghimselfonthecitysSouthandWestsidesasGuitarEddy.Hisuncle,Rev.HoustonH.Harrington,handedhisnephewhisinitialrecordingopportunity;thegoodreverendoperatedasmalllabel,AtomicH.Eddymadethemostofit,layingdownashimmeringminorkeyinstrumental,AMinorChaCha,andtheBerryderivedHillbillyBlues(bothonDelmarksChicagoAintNothinbutaBluesBandanthology). DrummerJumpJacksoninventedEddysstagemonikerasatakeoffonthenameofMuddyWaters.AsClearWaters,hewaxedanotherterrificBerryknockoff,CoolWater,forJacksonsLaSallelogo.BythetimehejourneyedtoCincinnatiin1961tocutthegloriousautorockerIWasGone,ajoyousARealGoodTime,andthetimelyTwistLikeThisforFederalRecordsproducerSonnyThompson,hewasofficiallyEddyClearwater.Thingsweresparseforquiteawhileafterthat;Clearwateroccasionallysecuredalivegigdishingoutrockandcountrydittieswhenbluesjobsdriedup. ButRoosterBlues1980releaseofTheChief,anextraordinarilystrongalbumbyanystandards,announcedtotheworldthatEddyClearwatersascendancytoChicagobluesstardomwasofficiallyunderway.TwoencoresforRoosterBlues,asetforBlindPig(1992sHelpYourself),andMeanCaseoftheBlues,releasedin1996onhisreactivatedCleartoneRecords,alongwithconsistentlyexcitingliveperformances,cementedClearwatersreputation.Hebecameknownasamasterfulbluesshowmanwhoseprincipalgoalistoprovidehisfanswitharealgoodtime.CoolBluesWalkfollowedin1998,followedbyChicagoDailyBluesthenextyear,andReservationBluesinmid2000.