It's the birthday of Charlie Musselwhite (January 31, 1944). He's been touring fifty years. He cut his (musical) teeth along side Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.

Born in Mississippi blues country, Charlie Musselwhite moved to Memphis, the cauldron of American musical tradition, at an early age. There he soaked it all up - the blues, the Memphis Jug Band, rockabilly, Western swing.

Click blues harp man, Charlie Musselwhite, to hear him do it to it!

Charlie hit Chicago when he was 18. He says those rough and tumble years “toughened me up,” performing at South Side clubs for a dollar or two. “My feet would be wet from walking in the snow,” he recalls. “I had great big holes in my shoes and I remember that really well...once you've been there you don't forget.”

Click young Charlie to hear him musically tell his life story.

Charlie may be the only musician to get a huge ovation just by opening his brief case. That's where he keeps his harmonicas. Fans know they're in for some real "truth-telling."

Click a going Charlie to hear his "River Hip Mama"

"The blues is your buddy in good times and your comfort in bad times. It empowers you to keep going. It is secular spiritual music, the gospel blues. It's music from the heart instead of the head."

Click Charlie in the studio to hear a cut from his Southside Band album, Stand Back! [Barry Goldberg on keys; Harvey Mandel, guitar.]

Click the graphic to travel to my Fish Hawk Country blog for some surreal textural moments with blues harp sounds - soundtrack by Mister Charlie Musselwhite.