This edition of "Midwest BEAT with Tom Lounges" was originally aired on 11-24-20 on 89.1FM-Lakeshore Public Radio.
GUEST: JOSEPH "MOJO" MORGANFIELD
JOSEPH "MOJO" MORGANFIELD, the youngest son of Chicago blues icon MUDDY WATERS (whose real name was McKinley Morganfield) has released in a digital format his newest recording, "It's Good to be King," an advance single from his forthcoming album for the international blues label, Delmark Records.
Mojo Morganfield IS blues royalty -- even though he came into the royal court much later than his already successful older brothers Mud Morganfield and Big Bill Morganfield -- while focusing on sports in his earlier years. Muddy's youngest is now wasting little time in staking his claim as heir to the throne, while keeping his famous daddy's name and the influential music alive and well.
Not only a rising performer and recording artist, Mojo is recognized as an ambassador of the Chicago Blues scene, and was inducted as such into the prestigious "Chicago Blues Hall of Fame" because of work promoting Chicago blues music and keeping his father's legacy alive for future generations.
While backstage with Morganfield in 2018 during the "Stars Align Tour" with British guitar god Jeff Beck, this columnist overheard Beck say to Mojo -- "If it wasn't for your father, none of us would be here today doing this!" Muddy was a huge influence on Beck's early band, The Yardbirds, along with The Rolling Stones (who took their name from a Muddy song title), The Animals, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, and many other British Invasion groups.
With the release of his 2018 EP -- "Mojo Risin'" -- young Morganfield set the stage for his entrance into the recording world. The live dates with The Mannish Boyz to promote that EP put him on the blues radar in a big way.
The COVID pandemic could not have come at a worse time for Morganfield, who was on the rise as many high profile performances began coming his way. Among them was being invited to perform with Grammy Award-winners Don Was, Jamey Johnson, and Warren Haynes at the Windy City stop of 2019 "Last Waltz Tour" at The Chicago Theatre; sharing the stage at "The Chicago Blues Fest" with older brother Big Bill Morganfield; and getting to open for Paul Rodgers & Bad Company at Hammond's 2019 "Festival Of The Lakes."
