Big Bill Morganfield | |
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 Morganfield performing at Burnley Blues Festival, April 2006. Photo: Phil Wight | |
| Background information | |
| Born | William Morganfield (1956-06-19)June 19, 1956 (age 69) |
| Genres | Blues,R&B,soul |
| Occupation(s) | Musician,songwriter,teacher |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals,guitar |
| Years active | 1990 – present |
| Labels | Taxim,Blind Pig,Black Shuck |
| Website | Official website |
William "Big Bill" Morganfield (born June 19, 1956)[1] is an Americanblues singer andguitarist. He is the son of McKinley Morganfield, also known asMuddy Waters, and the half-brother ofMud Morganfield.
Morganfield was born inChicago,Illinois. He had little contact with his father.[1] Instead he was raised in Southern Florida by his grandmother, and now lives inAtlanta, Georgia.[1][2] As a child he listened to his father's records, but also to more popular fare such asThe Jackson Five.[1] He came to music later in life, having first worked as a teacher after earning abachelor's degree in English fromTuskegee University and another in Communications fromAuburn University.[1] He did not begin playing music seriously until after his father's death in 1983, and then spent six years studying guitar.[2] A well-received performance withLonnie Mack at Atlanta'sCenter Stage convinced Morganfield that his career move was a good one, but dissatisfied with his craft, he returned to studying traditional blues forms and songwriting while continuing work as a teacher.[2]
He got his first break in 1996 when he and his band ("The Stone Cold Blues Band" 1996-1998) played at the Blue Angel Cafe in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The band consisted of professional Atlanta based musicians who helped launch his career. In 1998 he then began to play the east coast that led to bigger shows like "The Stan Rogers Folk Fest" and "Montreal Jazz fest" .
His first independent album,"Rising Son", was released in 1999 by Blind Pig Records.[2] The album was recorded in Chicago, and featuredPaul Oscher,Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, andPinetop Perkins.[2] In 2000, he won theW.C. Handy Award for Best New Blues Artist.[2] The title cut was featured in the 2004 filmA Love Song for Bobby Long. (In 1997 Taxium Records released a demo-intended recording of Big Bill Morganfield called "Nineteen Years Old" without the consent of Big Bill Morganfield. American laws do not apply as this recording was taken to Germany for release.)
In 1999, Morganfield appeared at theSan Francisco Blues Festival.
Ramblin' Mind, Morganfield's next album, includedTaj Mahal on two songs, plus his song "Strong Man Holler".Billy Branch played harmonica on the album.[2] In 2009, Morganfield released the albumBorn Lover, produced byBob Margolin and Brian Bisesi.[3]
During the 2000s, Morganfield headlined many festivals and performed at venues around the world. In concert, Morganfield performs his own material with an occasional number from his father's work. He also performed at aKennedy Center Honors tribute to his father.[2] His version of Waters' "Got My Mojo Working" has been said to be as potent as the original.[by whom?] Tours in Spain that band memberMax Drake accompanied him on were particularly popular, due to the legacy connection to Waters.[4]
Morganfield appeared in theBob Dylan biopicA Complete Unknown (2024), playing the role of a blues musician who meets and jams with Dylan in a TV studio.[5]
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