Jr.Wells Interview 1993

Interview with Jr.Wells was conducted by Steve"Big Daddy BluzHarp"Harvell on August 18,1993 in Juniors hotel room.

Steve:Where were you born and where did you grow up at?
JW:I grew up in Chicago.I'm from West Memphis,Arkansas.
Steve:When were you first introduced to the harmonica and by whom?
JW:I was introduced to it by myself and I heard the original "Sonny Boy" coming in on the stero at Randy's Record Shop in Nashville.I had heard "Muddy Waters" and people like that over this particular radio station.I brought my first harmonica in Arkansas.At That time you could buy a harmonica at a drudstore.It cost about fifteen cents and I brought Me one there, and I started messing around with it.Then I heard Junior Parker,he was messing around with his and playing it,so I thought I was doing something with it until I came to Chicago!Then When I got to Chicago and I got big enough to know and to really go out and see some of the older Blues players doing things,then that's when I went up on Lou Walter Jacobs and I heard him play.
Steve:Did you come back down there or something?
JW:When I listened to him play,it was on a Sunday evening,over at a place called Eboney Lounge,on N. Chicago Ave,I went over there with a police officer friend.He carried me over.The guy who owned the club,his name was Sid McCoy.He told me and the guy with me,I could'nt come in because I was too young.My friend told him,"He's a musician and I'm a police officer."He showed him his badge and stuff like that.Si Sid told him I could be in the club,but he would have to make sure that I did'nt drink anything.He siad that he does not even drink.So Muddy was still playing and when they came down on a break,he asked Muddy would it be possible if I could go up and play.Muddy said O.K.. He said that I could come up and play a couple of numbers with him.Muddy asked me,"Can you play young man?"I said,"Ithink so."Muddy replied,"Well I don't mind calling him up,but that's not my microphone and that's not my amplifier.It's Walters and I'll have to ask Walter if he minds if he comes over and plays."So he went over and asked Walter and Walter turned around and Muddy pointed over at me and Walter said,"That little ol' pip squeak?"Muddy said,"Yes"and Walter said,"If you think he can do it,let him go over there and play."So they started back to playing and Muddy was talking and he said,"If he had a young man in the house that wanted to come up and play a few numbers with us,I'd like to see if he could play?"So I went up and started to playing and when I started to play and sing the Blues,Muddy looked at me and Little Walter,who was watching me too.And at that time union scales were $12.50 for Little Walter and Muddy was making about $15.00 a night.I went up and made about $70-75.00 in tips,so walt asked me,"Did you ever play saxophone before?""No,did you?"He said,"No well,you and me will be good friends.You kind of have the same idea I have about blowing a harp.You don't want to keep it in that slow,draggy pace as the older Blues players have done.You sound like you are more of a creative type person.What we should do is you go ahead and give me $2.00 and let me go ahead and get this gin.And I said,"No,I can't get no gin."He asked,"Why?"and I said,"Naw,you called me a pip squeak,I ain't giving you nothing."So the police officer said,"Well,you can't treat him like that.You done forgot,you played on his amplifier and used his microphone."Okay,so I gave him the two bucks and he went out and got it(the gin)and came back and when he came back he said,"Come on out the back door,so we can walk down there."So I went out with him.He said,"Now he that buys the bottle has the first drink,now have a drink."I said,"Naw,I don't drink."He said,"Naw,you are saying that now,but you wait,you'll have a drink,you can believe that.If you intend to get down here and play those Blues and play this music,you will have a drink sooner or later.So I said I would taste it.I tasted it and it was the worst tasting thing I had ever tasted in my life.I said,"Oh my god,no."
So Muddy had to go to New York to do a thing.Little Walter was sick,and he could'nt go so Muddy asked me to go with him to the Pollard Theater,so I went in Little Walter's place.They had set up everything,you know,all the stuff,and the curtain was down.So I was out there with my back turned,cause the curtain was down and I had put my harmonicas on top of my amplifier.Whilest I was doing this here,the curtain went up and I did'nt know it and people went to clapping their hands.I turned around and saw all them people.I fell all over my amplier,my arm was laying on everything,oh man,and so Muddy said,"You say you don't drink now?"I said,"Naw."He said,"I tell you what you do sir,you just go right on back there,see I got this little bottle back there,so you go back there and get a little drink of this and you'll be alright."So I went back there and tried it.He said,"Drink you some water."So I drank some water behind it and I began to get the nervousness out of my body.
Steve:That's how I was taught to do,don't use soft drinks,chase with water only,you know what I mean?
JW:Yeah.So I walked back out on the stage and I went to playing.Now when I went to playing all the people did'nt even know I was in the band.And I went to playing and singing and that's when everybody brought the house down with it,you know.I was dancing and all that stuff like that and Muddy started calling me and telling everybody I was his son you know!From that day I went back and I started playing with my own group.We were called Aces at the time,the Four Aces,Louis Meyers,Dave Miles,Freddie Belowe and myself.So then Muddy and uh,Walter had a falling out.So Walter came to me and said,"Junior,say you've got a good bass in there and you and me ought to team up together like a duet,with Tom on the harmonica you know."I said,"Well I don't know because Muddy wants me to play for him."He said,"Forget about Muddy man,because Muddy done pissed me off man and that's why I quit." So Muddy,he kept calling me and he said,"I can't find nobody else that suits my taste.You know man,you can just come with me you know and play with me,untill somebody else suits me,I really would apprciate it."Si I was thinking about the break he gave me on the thing,so I told Walter,I said what you do,you go with my group and I will take your place with Muddy.No,no I said,we are going to have to beat him.So I went in his place with Muddy,he had Taken the Aces and went out with them and that's when they changed the name from the Aces to the Dukes.And after that I stayed with Muddy up until I went into the service in 1953 and I got out in 1955.Then I started back to playing with him again and stayed with hin until the middle of 1958.I had been trying to talk to Chess about recording me and he said,"Naw,you just stay back there behind Muddy and play the harmonica,I'll let you know when you are ready to record.You just stay back there and be a side man behind Muddy."I said,"Naw,naw,I'm not going to do that,I'm going to stay behind Muddy or nobody else.I feel within my heart ,that I want to be my own man."But he said,"You are not a man yet."I said,"I feel like I am a man",but he would'nt record me.So I told Muddy in Tampa,I said,"Muddy,when I finish tonight,I will not be riding back with you all tonight,I'll be getting a train,I'm going to go on back.I'll be letting you know right now,that uh,I'm gonna quit,you know."Muddy said,okay I'm gonna quit you know.I guess he thought I was joking you know.So the next morning when he got up I was gone.And he called home and asked Jeanetta,his wife,he said,"Is Junior there?"She said,"Yes he's here."Muddy said,"Man,what did you go off for?"And I said,"I told you I was going,man.I'm sorry but I've got to go man,'cause I won't be satisfied until I do what I've got in my ol' soul man,I mean my heart is right."Muddy put me before the board,the union,because by right I was supposed to give him a two week notice and I did'nt.So the union fined me $500 for this particular thing.He said,"Well Junior,you can't just walk away and leave a man stranded because you are supposed to give a man a two week notice.That's time we can get somebody else.After the two weeks if he does'nt have somebody,then you are not obligated no more."I said,"Well I did'nt know that."He said,"Well,you are a young boy,now you know,but you have to pay the $500.Make sure you don't forget it no more."So I paid the $500,at least my mom paid it for me.Then I started back and got my group back together.When we started back to playing again,it was a long time before we broke up again!Then I got another group and started doing things,doing some recording.I went on this big show with Sarah Vaughn,Al Hitlud,Moonglows,Guitar Slim,Andy Brown,I don't know who all was around.I had'nt met Buddy at the time and we played at his high school.
Steve:Was that you and Buddy or was it your group?
JW:Naw,Buddy was still in Baton Rouge at the time.We played at the high school where Buddy was at.I did'nt see Buddy,but I had a chance to meet him in 1958,when he came to Chicago.He told me he had seen us playing and I said,"How come you did'nt come in?"He said,"I did'nt have no money,and they were up on the roof with a lot more kids peeping down."I got into a position where I was going to do a recording and I called Buddy up and asked him if he would be interested in doing it.He said,"Yes."So we went in and did a recording.I still had a group and Buddy had a group so when we became Buddy Guy and Junior Wells in 1970,we went on tour with the Rolling Stones throughout Europe.
Steve:I remember reading about that.How do you like European audiences as compared to American audiences?Do they act any different or treat you any different?
JW:Yes,they do,I think European audiences are more interested in the Blues.European people have been into the Blues for a long time!They had Big Bill Bronzy and people like that years ago and they had them coming over to Europe.It's more of a cultural thing.
Steve:Blues is starting to make a comeback here.
JW:Blues is bigger now than it ever was.I'm not saying that the people in the United States don't appreciate the Blues,it's more that people today are more interested in the Blues.I think that came about in 1966.We had "Free Love" and things like that.So this started off and I started going to the west coast.Out there were groups like Grateful Dead,Santana.I don't know who all was out there.It came about in 1966.Most groups like Muddy Waters were sitting down playing.I moved around.The only place I got a boo was in Germany.I told them I don't like to go no place that don't appreciate me.
Steve:Well,how come they "Booed" you like that?
JW:It's because of one thing.Because the German people don't think that you should be moving around like that.You was suppose to be playing the Blues.A lot of the older Blues players was sittin' down and playing,like Muddy was playing and Sleepy John Estes. They was used to this type of thing.It was wrong for you to stand up and move.So Leadman told me not to worry about it.I told him,"Naw,you can keep the money,but you are holding my ticket and I would like to go home."He said,"I tell you what Junior,you give it another week,and after that if anybody "Boos" you I'll give you double the money!"I stayed on for eight more days and no one booed me.
Steve:I reckon people got use to the new style.
JW:I started out by sittin' down,but I discovered that I felt more inside me by moving around.After awhile,they got to where they understood it and got into it.
Steve:What brand of mic and amp do you prefer to use?
JW:I do not even carry an amplifier with me anymore.When I did carry one,I had Fenders.
Steve:What kind of mic do you use?
JW:At that time you could buy those ball mics.They were easy to fix.First amplifier I had,had just one 15" speaker.You could get a lot of sound.
Steve:Do you have any advice to give up and coming harmonica players?Any adive on how to get better?
JW:You have to listen to all types of music and do your homework.Many young kids learn one or two pieces.They think that is enough.I just did a tape for kids about how to do the harmonica.I hope it helps out.
Steve:When they are kids,that's a good age to get them started.
JW:Especially when they are young.Kids can learn fast.Just wait til you get my age,it's harder to learn!
Steve:I played at the "Kids Fair" at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill on April 23d this year.It was a school program to raise money.I brought ten harps and got that many kids on the stage and taught them how to do train sounds and other stuff.Kids will eat it up if someone will just take the time to show them.
JW:They learn anything.I started to watch people and write things down.I would learn how to say things.
Steve:do you have a favorite key of harmonica that you like to play?
JW:Not really.You don't want to put your voice in a key that would push it too hard.Different songs I do in different keys.
Steve:Do you use the pucker method or the tongue-blocking method or a little of both?
JW:I use both of them!
Steve:Who are your favorite living and deceased harmonica players?
JW:I like James Cotton.I like Billy Branch.I like Charlie Musselwhite and Carey Bell.
Steve:I appreciate you taking the time to visit with me.
JW:It has been a pleasure Steve!
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