Back in the 1980s, I found myself in the city into the evening hours after a day of blues record shopping.  I had scoured all the record stores I knew from the north side, to the loop, to the near west side, including searching through unorganized bins at various thrift stores.  I had enjoyed a casual dinner after the day’s meanderings, and found myself in need of some “live” blues.  I got a cab and departed for the original location of Blue Chicago at the lively corner of State and Walton.  I had seen other great blues shows there, including Willie Kent backed by blues pianist Barrelhouse Chuck and blues guitarist Billy Flynn, and Johnny B. Moore, among others.  I had no idea who was playing the club that evening, but I knew I would be satisfied by whoever was the evening’s blues star.

Upon exiting the cab and paying my cover charge at the door, I completely ignored any indication of who was playing that night.  I walked past the long, narrow bar in the center of the clubs to the seating area directly in front of the stage.  The band was obviously there, as instruments and gear were already on the stage.  No more than eight feet in front of me was a Fender Twin Reverb amplifier, a red Gibson ES-335 guitar, and a turquoise Fender Stratocaster.  There were also a couple of effect pedals on the floor, an echo and a wah-wah, as well.  Putting two and two together, it didn’t take m long to figure out that Eddy Clearwater was playing the club that evening, and I couldn’t have been any more pleased. 

The club began to somewhat fill, and a couple joined me at my front-and-center table.  When Eddy and his band exited the room just to the left of the stage and plugged-in, anticipation was high.  What I remember from that evening all these years later is the sheer volume from Clearwater’s amplifier as he worked his great brand of blues and rock-n-roll to grand effect, and Clearwater’s seemingly boundless joy while practicing his craft; that broad smile.

Clearwater, like a great many blues artists, was born in Mississippi, and by the age of 13, he moved to Alabama.  In addition to his African American lineage, Clearwater was also part Cherokee, a fact that he remained most proud of his entire life.  Clearwater began to play the guitar around the same time he relocated to Alabama, and like a contemporary of his, Otis Rush, due to there being no such thing as left-handed guitars at the time, he began playing with a standard guitar, playing it upside down and backwards.  Clearwater’s initial public performances were in the gospel arena, furnishing his guitar skills to groups including the Five Blind Boys Of Alabama, the Memphis Soul Stirrers, the Norfleet Brothers, among other gospel groups. 

Despite his early gospel leanings, Clearwater’s guitar influences included bluesmen such as Lightnin’ Hopkins, Elmore James, and John Lee Hooker.  But, he also found important elements in the music of Chet Atkins, Red Foley, and Johnny Cash.

In 1950, at the age of 15, Clearwater made his move northward to Chicago, continuing to play with gospel ensembles.   This period in Chicago found Clearwater working as a dishwasher by day, and living with an uncle, Rev. H.H. Harrington, the owner of the small Atomic-H record company.  It was through his uncle that Clearwater met west side Chicago bluesmen like Otis Rush and Magic Sam.  At this point, it is important to note that Clearwater was also the cousin of Chicago blues harmonica giant, Carey Bell. 

A key moment in Clearwater’s life occurred when he first heard the music of Chuck Berry.  Berry, who took country music and blues elements and laid the foundation for a type of R&B that would become rock-n-roll, made a distinct, ever-lasting impression upon Clearwater.  He was enamored with Berry’s tales of teenage life, theatrical presentation, and ringing guitar solos, and incorporated those influences into his presentation style.

In a scant three years, in 1953, Clearwater had honed his skill set well enough to being performing on the south and west side Chicago tavern and club circuit, using the moniker, Guitar Eddy.  He was regularly playing the music of his peers, Otis Rush and Magic Sam, but infusing his performances with the enthusiastic up-tempo approach and songs of Chuck Berry. 

Clearwater final got the chance to make his first record, on his uncle’s Atomic-H label, a Chuck Berry-esque brisk outing.  However, the name used for the record’s release was Clear Waters, a direct play upon the name of Chicago’s blues music legend, Muddy Waters.  This exposure did lead to radio exposure and the opportunities to record more single releases.  I wish I could say with certainty when the Clear Waters name morphed into Eddy Clearwater, but I can’t nail that down. 

Clearwater did find steady blues work through the 1960s and 1970s.  One key development for Clearwater was his presence on Chicago’s north side blues scene as the university kids discovered his brand of blues.  As known, the north side Chicago blues landscape became one of the most vigorous for many years (and still remains somewhat so), and Clearwater definitely took advantage of that by being a regular blues performer at Kingston Mines, B.L.U.E.S., and the other venues offering work. 

Clearwater had the opportunities to tour overseas in the 1970s, as well, providing him additional valuable exposure.  There was a point, however, in the early 1970s, when Clearwater became discouraged with the music business and found a day job at a Harmony guitar factory.  However, being around the instruments, and being continually recognized by certain of his co-workers, he was steered back to the music arena in short order. 

But it wasn’t until 1980 when his album on the Rooster Blues Records label, The Chief, really elevated his stature among blues fans and venue owners.  The album’s title is a play on the fact that due to Clearwater’s Cherokee ancestry, he would don a Native American headdress as part of his “live” show.  He went on to record two additional collections for the Rooster Blues Records label, and these outings, though years later in 1992 and 1996, firmly fortified Clearwater’s reputation as a first-call bluesman. 

In total, Clearwater amassed 18 albums under his own name, on labels including Rooster Blues Records, MCM Blues Records, Charly R&B, Evidence, Blind Pig Records, Fan Club, Delmark Records, Cleartone, Bullseye Blues & Jazz, Alligator Records, and Wolf Records.  In addition, Clearwater appeared on compilations on the Red Lightnin’, Wolf, and Redita labels. 

One of the ingenious aspects about Clearwater, in retrospect, is that he never discredited any form of music, and found something of value in every genre.  In addition to the musical influences indicated earlier, Clearwater found Scotty Moore’s work with Elvis Presley to be interesting, as he also did with the music of The Bill Black Combo.  Never one to shy away form more modern artists, Clearwater found the music of The Stray Cats (with Brian Setzer’s guitar work) powerful. 

In fact, it was his work with the American instrumental rock band, Los Straitjackets, that Clearwater was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004.

Clearwater opened his own blues club and restaurant, Reservation Blues, on N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago in 2002.  The club’s name matches that of his year 2000 album on the Bullseye Blues & Jazz label.  Ultimately, the business closed.

In the late 1980s, Clearwater brought his band to Mishawaka, IN’s Center Street Blues Café.  Watching him joyously entertain, banter with the audience, and smile endlessly, it was clear (no pun intended) that Clearwater was greatly enjoying himself.

Clearwater dug deep into his blues well, throwing his head back during his guitar solos, searching for the perfect notes.  And, when presenting more rock-influenced rave-ups, he seemed transported back to a time when Chuck Berry’s tunes were all the rage, swinging his guitar, and being in constant physical motion.

He and his MC/co-vocalist, Leroy Brown, traded lyrics and smiles from the bandstand, in what seemed indicative of a musical partnership and friendship that transcended the music.

Eddy Clearwater successfully melded country, rock-n-roll, and blues influences, among other inputs, to create a catalog of music, and a musical individuality, that made him unique among his peers, one that has stood the test of time.

Eddy Clearwater’s brand of blues, and music, in general, is good-time music.  The likes of it we will probably mot see again.  But, left for us are pleasing memories, and recordings that express Clearwater’s musical stew for all of us to continue to savor.

By the way, if you’ve never heard Clearwater’s great tune, “2 x 9”, you haven’t lived!