House Once Owned By Blues Legend Muddy Waters Will Become A Museum
We all have our favorite music on the radio. But then there’s the music we love that we don’t get to hear much of on local radio. For me, it’s the blues. I became a fan while I was in high school. In fact, one of the first concerts I ever attended was B.B. King, Dr. John, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. Not a bad introduction to live music, eh?
Rolling Stone reports that a house in Chicago once owned by blues legend Muddy Waters is being converted into a museum and community center. A $50,000 grant has been given to the National Trust for Historic Preservation to turn the brick home into the Muddy Waters MOJO Museum.
Born McKinley Morganfield in Mississippi, Muddy Waters arrived in Chicago at the age of 30. It was there that his career truly took off. In fact, Waters has long been considered to be one of the founding fathers of Chicago blues and a significant influence on rock & roll.
Muddy Waters bought the house at 4339 S. Lake Park Avenue in 1954 and used it as a rehearsal space for many years. The home came close to being demolished after Chicago’s Department of Buildings said the property was unsafe in 2013. Luckily, the landmark was saved. The museum, which is slated for completion within the next two years, will also include a recording studio and community garden.
