Music lost two great innovators over the first weekend of December 2011. Singer Howard Tate (above), respected for his late 60’s soul records, including those produced by songwriter Jerry Ragavoy, and Hubert Sumlin (below), Howlin’ Wolf’s playful guitar player who was present on many of the blues icon’s Chess recordings of the mid 50’s and into the 60's.
Both men had styles as distinct as any in their field, and both made sounds that were important parts of an era considered to be a hallmark in American pop music. It’s tough to watch the door physically close on the unredeemable past, but we are luckier still to have the recordings and their stories to keep. Howard Tate and Hubert Sumlin remind us of what it means to be dogged in our pursuit to be true to one’s self; to make and enjoy music for its own sake, on one’s own terms, and to always “get it while you can”.
VIDEO: Howard Tate – “Get It While You Can”
VIDEO: Hubert Sumlin with Sunnyland Slim:
Hubert Sumlin - Wikipedia bio:
Howard Tate – Wikipedia bio:
Jerry Ragavoy – Wikipedia bio:
- Brendan Hogan
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