Mud Morganfield – Deep Mud
Mud Morganfield – Deep Mud
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital
Label: Nola Blue Records
Release: 2025
Release date: September 26, 2025
Sallie Bengtson, president of Nola Blue Records, announces the signing of Mud Morganfield, acclaimed son of Blues legend Muddy Waters, and will release his label debut album, ‘Deep Mud’
“It is such a privilege to release the aptly titled, Deep Mud,” says Sallie Bengtson about the Mud Morganfield signing. “Drawing from a great reservoir of paternal musical heritage combined with a lifetime of maternal nurturing, Mud and his music are grounded in respect and love. He honors his roots while also advancing his legacy of the Chicago electric blues sound.”
“I’m always writing and thinking about music. The songs on this album are from the past year, which was a really hard time for me,” reflects Mud Morganfield. “My life changed forever when the doctor told us they couldn’t do anything else for my mother. We lost her in March. She was my biggest supporter from day one. Her love is the music in my heart.”
“For the last couple of decades, Mud has followed in his beloved dad’s mammoth footsteps, staunchly keeping the traditional Chicago blues flame alight by faithfully singing Muddy’s songs as well as plenty of his own originals in front of an all-star band of local heavy-hitters,” writes Bill Dahl in the album’s liner notes. “Recently, he hit the main stage at the 2025 Chicago Blues Festival to belt his father’s “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man” as one of the main cogs in a gala celebration of Chess Records’ 75th anniversary, looking and sounding every bit the heir to Muddy’s gilded throne.”
Recorded at JoyRide Studio in Chicago, ‘Deep Mud’ is real, honest, unvarnished blues from front to back, the way Muddy himself proudly did it during the genre’s hallowed heyday as he laid the bedrock foundation for the electric Chicago blues ensemble approach. “Listen, man, it is Chicago blues. No rock-blues here for Mud,” he states. I talk and I sing about real things, real live people, real situations, things that people go through, from falling in love to beautiful women. So, it’s Chicago blues at its best. They ain’t trying to do that no more, but that’s what it is.”
That deeply-held commitment to Chicago blues tradition defines Deep Mud. Except for two lovingly rendered Chess-era Muddy revivals (“Country Boy” and “Strange Woman”), Mud’s originals dominate the hard-hitting set. As usual, his studio cohorts were the cream of the crop (many of whom have played on Mud’s previous albums): guitarists Rick Kreher (an integral member of Waters’ last touring band) and Mike Wheeler, keyboardists Roosevelt “Mad Hatter” Purifoy and Sumito “Ariyo” Ariyoshi, bassist E.G. McDaniel, and drummer Melvin “Pookie Styx” Carlisle lay down tough, uncompromising grooves loaded with timeless Windy City tradition. Harpist Studebaker John filled multiple roles as Mud’s producer and arranger, with trumpeter Phil Perkins arranging the horns.
“The album wouldn’t sound like it sounds without Studebaker John’s ears,” notes Mud. “The man has a fantastic ear.”
Website: https://www.mudmorganfieldblues.com/
Tracks:
01. Bring Me My Whiskey
02. Big Frame Woman
03. Strange Woman
04. Don’t Leave Me
05. She’s Getting Her Groove On
06. Ernestine
07. Strike Like Lightning
08. Cosigner Man
09. Lover Man
10. In and Out of My Life
11. The Man That You’re With
12. Carolina
13. Country Boy
14. A Dream Walking
Mud Morganfield – vocals (all tracks), bass (3)
Rick Kreher – guitar (all tracks)
Melvin “Pooky Styx” Carlisle – drums (all tracks)
Studebaker John – harmonica (1,2,3,4,6,7,9,11,12,13)
Mike Wheeler – guitar (all tracks except 3,13,14)
E.G. McDaniel – bass (all tracks except 3,13)
Sumito Ariyo Ariyoshi – piano (1,2,3,4,7,9,10,11,12)
Roosevelt Purifoy – piano (5,6,8), organ (5,6,8,14)
Rodrigo Mantovani – upright bass (13)
Phil Perkins – trumpet (5,8)
Felicia Collins – background vocals (8, 10, 14)
Kristen Lowe – background vocals (8, 10)
Jacole Avent – background vocals (14)
Demetrias M. Hall – background vocals (14)