MAY 26, 1965 – The Rolling Stones performed on the ABC variety show “Shindig!” where they introduced one of their big influences, bluesman Howlin’ Wolf (Chester Arthur Burnett), who sings “How Many More Years.” It was the first time that many Americans first glimpsed the face of true blues. Also, the band played their forthcoming single, “Satisfaction” to the public for the first time.It’s surely one of the most incongruous moments in American pop music. Music journalist Peter Guralnick, who said he reveres Howlin’ Wolf, went even further. He called it one of the greatest cultural moments of the 20th century. “What was so great about seeing Wolf on Shindig was it was in a sense reality imposing itself on this totally artificial setting,” Guralnick said. “While I was a big fan of the Stones, it was altogether appropriate that they would be sitting at Wolf’s feet. And that’s what it represented. His music was not simply the foundation or the cornerstone; it was the most vital thing you could ever imagine.”Blues guitarist Buddy Guy said of the TV appearance, “It was the light at the end of the tunnel. There was a boundary line which no one thought could be crossed, and The Rolling Stones broke it by getting Wolf on that show. It was something we would never even have thought of. The hairs were just standing on my head.”Guy told of how he had spoken with Howlin’ Wolf after the show. “We talked about it later. He said about how the man next door don’t know who I am – and here’s some British kids from thousands of miles away. I know he was proud of what happened cause as far as the record companies or the news media or anything, we were all ignored until those kids came in.”Bill Wyman recalled how this came about: “We had requested that blues artists Howlin’ Wolf and Son House should be on the show with us. We were in hysterics when Jack Good persistently referred to him in his proper English as “Mr. Howlin’.” Said Keith Richards, “I’ll always remember (pop promoter) Jack Good’s voice on the set, very English, calling out “Er, Howlin’, could you do that again?” and “Er, Mr. Wolf…”Jimmy O’Neill interviewed Brian Jones on the show. Jones told him, “We started because we wanted to play rhythm and blues, and Howlin’ Wolf was one of our greatest idols.” These were amazing words – “greatest idols” – from a blonde white guy at a time in American history when Wolf might have been refused service at many restaurants in the South.Since Howlin’ Wolf died in 1976 in Chicago, the town that made the blues famous, a postage stamp has had his face on it, and there’s been a statue in his hometown, a blues festival in his name and numerous Hall of Fame inductions and record reissues. The Wolf keeps howlin’.
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