Howlinrsquo; Wolf was a musical giant in every way. He stood six foot three; weighed almost three hundred pounds; wore size sixteen shoes; and poured out his darkest sorrows onstage in a voice like a raging chainsaw. Half a century after his first hits; his sound still terrifies and inspires.Born Chester Burnett in 1910; the Wolf survived a grim childhood and hardscrabble youth as a sharecropper in Mississippi. He began his career playing and singing with the first Delta blues stars for two decades in perilous juke joints. He was present at the birth of rock rsquo;nrsquo; roll in Memphis; where Sam Phillipsndash;who also discovered Elvis Presley; Johnny Cash; and Jerry Lee Lewisndash;called Wolf his ldquo;greatest discovery.rdquo; He helped develop the sound of electric blues and vied with rival Muddy Waters for the title of king of Chicago blues. He ended his career performing and recording with the worldrsquo;s most famous rock stars. His passion for music kept him performingndash;despite devastating physical problemsndash;right up to his death in 1976.Therersquo;s never been a comprehensive biography of the Wolf until now. Moaninrsquo; at Midnight is full of startling information about his mysterious early years; surprising and entertaining stories about his decades at the top; and never-before-seen photographs. It strips away all the myths to revealndash;at long lastndash;the real-life triumphs and tragedies of this blues titan.
#586081 in eBooks 2012-11-28 2012-11-28File Name: B00A5MRGLE
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A moving portrait of a legendary starBy Michael J. Mazza"Marlene;" the play by Pam Gems; is about legendary film star Marlene Dietrich. The published version of the play contains a short but moving introduction by Gems in which the author reflects on the life; work; and iconic status of Dietrich. The book also notes that the play was first performed in 1996 with Sian Phillips in the challenging title role.As the play opens; an older Marlene is about to arrive at a theater where she is due to perform her stage act. "Marlene" is funny and moving. The title character is a real diva; with the larger-than-life quality which that word implies; she is also a woman of substance; passion; and wit. Much of the play consists of dialogue between Marlene and her friend/assistant; Vivian.The play looks at Marlenes struggle with physical ailment and pain. Also examined is her sense of identity as a German who became a United States citizen. Moments in the play are marked where the playwright intends for songs to be performed. Overall; I found this play to be a memorable exploration of Dietrichs legacy.