Hubert Sumlin was born in Greenwood, Mississippi on November 16, 1931. He picked up the guitar as a child, and met the legendary Howlin’ Wolf, who would go on to be his musical mentor after inviting Sumlin to move to Chicago and join Wolf’s band in the early 1950s. He quickly became the lead guitarist for Wolf, and contributed to some of the man’s most well known recordings including “Hidden Charms”, “Killing Floor”, “Wang Dang Doodle”, and many more. Sumlin remained Wolf’s sideman until Wolf’s death in 1976, and he continued playing with other members of the band into the 1980s. He recorded solo projects throughout the years, but nothing showcased the awe he inspired in some of the most famous names in music like his career capping 2004 LP About Them Shoes, a collection of old-school blues songs originally written by Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon that boasted contributions by such luminaries as Keith Richards, Levon Helm, and Eric Clapton. He was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 2008, three years before his death on December 4, 2011. Four years later, a special issue of Rolling Stone selected the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, and Sumlin ranked 43rd.
