When Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield) moved to Chicago from Mississippi in 1943, he also brought a traditional sound known as Delta blues. But a few years later at Chicago’s Chess Records, he created a modern electric spin on the music through such songs as “I Just Can’t Be Satisfied,” “Hoochie Coochie Man” and “Got My Mojo Working.” He moved into this two-flat house in 1954 after living in a crowded West Side tenement and it illustrated his growing prospects. He purchased the building two years later. While his family lived on the first floor, he rented out the second floor, including to other musicians like Otis Spann. The house’s basement became Muddy Waters’ rehearsal room and he also hosted informal jam sessions, which included such other Chess artists as Howlin’ Wolf and Chuck Berry. During summer months, the musicians would perform outdoors and turned this block of North Kenwood into a party. In 1974, he moved to suburban Westmont and died in 1983.

– A.C. 

Caption: Muddy Waters' House.