Gunsmoke blues - Muddy Waters, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, George "Harmonica" Smith

During a production hiatus of the popular TV Show "Gunsmoke", the film crew decided to take off and film a barnstorming blues revue making it’s way across the country and they ended up in Eugene, OR with cameras rolling to film Muddy Waters, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner and George "Harmonica" Smith as they performed in a music hall. Date: October 20, 1971.
Setlist:
1. Big Mama Thornton - Early One Morning
2. Big Mama Thornton - Ball And Chain
3. George "Harmonica" Smith - Juke
4. George "Harmonica" Smith - Leaving Chicago
5. Big Joe Turner - Hide And Seek
6. Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle And Roll
7. Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy
8. Muddy Waters - Long Distance Call
9. Muddy Waters - (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man
10. Muddy Waters - Got My Mojo Working
11. Muddy Waters, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, George "Harmonica" Smith - So Long
12. Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog
13. Big Mama Thornton - Rock Me Baby
14. Muddy Waters - She's Nineteen Years Old
15. Muddy Waters - Walking Thru The Park
Muddy Waters Band:
Muddy Waters: guitar, vocals
George "Harmonica" Smith: Harmonica
"Pinetop" Perkins: Piano
Sammy Lawhorn: guitar
Pee Wee Madison: guitar
Calvin "Fuzz" Jones: bass
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith: drums
Big Mama Thornton's band:
Big Mama Thornton: vocals, harmonica
Steve Wachsman : guitar
Bruce Sieverson: bass
Todd Nelson: drums

[@susanperkins1909]

That' my brother Steve Wachsman playing guitar for Big Mama. On bass was Bruce Sieverson and Todd Nelson they were all friends and had a band at the time living and playing in/around Ventura California.

[@musadiggari]

Wow great info. Many have been asking their names. Any chance of getting your brother or one of his band mates to take a look at this video and maybe share some memories?

[@charlesrider6187]

your a fortunate woman!

[@petenoak]

Who played tenor sax?

[@susanperkins1909]

@@petenoak If memory serves me it was BIll Potter I will have to ask my brother

[@susanperkins1909]

@@musadiggari i will be happy to

[@brandnewyou5254]

if your band sounded like that TODAY you would be stars.to do that back then made you almost a god

[@stoneyyates8635]

i turned 43 2day..i got turned onto blues 2 years ago..from SRV to ALL THE KINGS..MUDDY..BUDDY GUY..Etc..Etc..Big Mama and this video show me i was born 15 years too late ...great music!!!!!!!!

[@Sttonkeoj]

This is why I love KZbin. Where else can you find gems like this?!

[@williamcavolt203]

Love them all , Muddy, Joe, Big Mama

[@terryhill9772]

something special,big mama,keeping it real

[@MLFranklin]

This is such a treasure. Thank you original artists, Gunsmoke film crew, and KZbin!

[@zackhill1174]

AMERICAS MUSIC!!!!!!!!! NO DOUBT...........

[@violetnewcomb1195]

What a way of life ,bringing us the blues ,its music history ,Ilove it ,nothing like it ,good music ,good friends ,bring people together to have fun !!

[@inkjob12]

I still own the 78 of Houndog by Big Momma...one of the MANY 78 records I have by the Blues legends of yester year. I was lucky to be born at the time I was...this allowed me to see many of them in concert....such GREAT shows.

[@SutboxSutty]

Well what a great evening i had me and a Dobee and Brandy ,.... wonderfull music and performance .... Thank you you guys you are witj us all the time Respect to the force

[@TheGreatToucan]

Who knew Big Mama Thornton blew such a great harp? Gonna get into her! I met Muddy at one of his concerts in the 1980's near the end of his career. You could not meet a nicer man! Of course he had an awesome talent! Totally unexpected and amazing that the film crew from Gunsmoke would haul off after the blues. Good job!

[@paullivingstone640]

Big Mama Thornton - unbelievable commanding artist!

[@gerhardbitter1581]

Diese Blues -Session ist legendär und wird kommende Generationen überleben, vorausgesetzt die Menschheit wird trotz Corona- und Klimakriese überleben. Heute ist der Blues wieder ganz aktuell. Alle Menschen dieser Welt - egal welcher Hautfarbe, Rasse oder Religion haben fundamentale Emotionen, die in dieser Session zum Ausdruck kommen, aber zur Zeit nicht gelebt werden können. Man kann nur hoffen, dass die Menschheit daraus die richtigen Lehren zieht.

[@debbiechiapelli862]

An amazing women

[@sonjadietz5297]

Big Mama Thornton.......sie ist die Queen des Blues für mich !!!!

[@brandnewyou5254]

them cats was swingn!

[@ReshiramR52]

Hello everyone. Here are the timestamps. Enjoy! 2:38 Big Mama Thornton - Early One Morning 7:43 Big Mama Thornton - Ball And Chain 15:57 George "Harmonica" Smith - Juke 19:40 George "Harmonica" Smith - Leaving Chicago 24:12 Big Joe Turner - Hide And Seek 28:43 Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle And Roll 32:58 Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy 38:29 Muddy Waters - Long Distance Call 45:01 Muddy Waters - (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man 49:05 Muddy Waters - Got My Mojo Working 55:39 Muddy Waters, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, George "Harmonica" Smith - So Long 1:00:05 Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog 1:04:49 Big Mama Thornton - Rock Me Baby 1:11:41 Muddy Waters - She's Nineteen Years Old 1:19:40 Muddy Waters - Walking Thru The Park

[@7550375503]

Thank you for that !

[@sammyandoliver7522]

Thank you.

[@navajotrail9253]

Fantastic. Fantastic story and fantastic music & musicians! Thanks!

[@aaron4wilkins]

I Love it!

[@chiliakoma6517]

Too sad Elvis made millions of Hound Dog and did not compensate Big Mama for it.

[@aaron4wilkins]

@@chiliakoma6517 Houndog written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

[@chusssMusic]

Legendary... Thanks a million for posting this.

[@godsun798]

GOD BLESS🙏

[@teresaabrown8077]

Music is Universe. I Doesn't have a Color! Just Great Sound 👌👍

[@FrancescoAlcozer]

Music is all the more beautiful, as it springs from the soul, as happens with the blues. Greetings. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGOXln97mJ6XpKc *LONDONDERRY AIR* Irish folk song from the late 1800s. Gretsch Guitar cover by *Duane Eddy*

[@robertblakely4758]

Right-on!!!

[@garyball6288]

And the soul is always there

[@thomaspeters5889]

Sound has color. They are closely related.

[@jungleninja8415]

Yeah well black people are to thank for all music every music game from Africa even Nordic

[@jessewestbrook5082]

I grew up on this music in 1956.. I love it today. Memphis is home. Thanks to WDIA Goodwill Review I saw it all before they went world wide. I rather sleep in a hollow log.

[@pamelalapier9633]

The blues, from which all modern music sprang. I'm so glad they filmed these legends. A little bit of heaven.

[@jenniferjohnson511]

Long live the blues 😔🤩😁🙂😅

[@neilfernandez6519]

i am shaking

[@bobbyhoffman5809]

Tremendous that you captured these great blues artist. HISTORY

[@gerardmclean6284]

The sheer joy that the blues can express is often I feel overlooked but this gig exudes it.

[@nitewindow]

Never get tired of this!

[@PRJobTips]

this blues music and footage belongs in The Smithsonian...

[@jimelliott1523]

YES!

[@mahbrum]

Amen brother.

[@p.b.palaciosalmafuerte3463]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@charleswilliams8248]

Sir U are so right!

[@brettshed2886]

@@jimelliott1523 your so true and I agree with you Jim and that's the truth

[@jcyn1772]

If you don't appreciate THE BLUEZ you can't appreciate life. What Soul. What Jive. What Rhythm. What Talent.

[@Mrtiguan09]

Can't find the words to describe Muddy Waters. All superlative.PineTop Perkins on the keyboard. Nothing shabby about this footage. Thank you so much for posting this footage.

[@hansmatzweissefeder]

very good together selected blues legends - thanks for this event.

[@gmitchellist]

Oct 20 1971, I was in the 90th replacement co. long binh Vietnam on my way home ! The Army called it "processing out". Reunited with a guy I had sat next to on the way to Nam the year before ? We were both surprised and happy to see each other !

[@mcurran2]

This is a fantastic piece of blues history. So cool these guys decided to document this on their hiatus from shooting GUNSMOKE!

[@bishopmitchell8879]

Mark Curran wow! That in itself is noteworthy! Great group of guys.

[@BartG4400]

What a gem! Didn't know this footage existed.

[@MrJoeyTheDude]

Damn! I wish I had been there that night. October 20, 1971, was the exact day I turned 22. That would have been a fantastic birthday present!!

[@TheCappedCruiser]

Goddam, Big Mama was a seriously good harp player, too!

[@fasteddie8782]

Yeah when she starts the concert at the beginning and kicks into it man nothing better

[@paulyakaitis3352]

Her first note makes your body jump involuntarily, that’s the blues!

[@margaretquick2597]

You don't have to take the Lord's name in vain!

[@lyndonwatkins1]

You can’t compete elvis with these fantastic performers..thay still are the best..love it

[@ireneruthfox]

This is the real Deal Blues. Big Mama & Muddy are killing it.

[@jenniferjohnson511]

Yes they are killing it 😍😊

[@Shivaho]

What a fabulous piece of music history. So amazing to See such legendary musicians in their prime. Kudos to those who were there to capture this moment for us all to enjoy. My friend Doug MacLeod got to play guitar with these guys.

[@marvingoodman7381]

I've watched this one before BUT IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH WATCHING AGAIN!!!!!! This is definitely some "good ol down-home blues" from some of the best....

[@hilariefortune3909]

I've got body tingles just listening and watching the beautiful harmony of natural blues. Thank-you for sharing.

[@pghtc56usa54]

. . . I'm eleven 🙌yrs old again....

[@easternpipistrelle]

Just one man's opinion but, this is the best thing I've ever found on the internet, and I've been browsing web pages since 1995.

[@donhoyt7518]

Juli

[@toots810usa6]

I wholeheartedly agree, and I have been on the internet since Al Gore invented it. If I never search for another thing I am good. I could watch this on repeat for the rest of my life!

[@tommyfenn8768]

Xx

[@jimihendrix2053]

you got that right!

[@neilburton2803]

Real music played and sung by real people.....not voices produced by machines and mixing decks !!

[@mrstanbmw]

This woman was a force of nature and she should have been a Monster Star as far as publicity, Mama was bad mother shut your mouf

[@mrstanbmw]

whoever hit thumbs down on this shit their ears are so far up their ass that is is covered in shit.

[@maya8443]

@@mrstanbmw lol, good one!

[@drmaawenz]

black, white, men, women... those are just cool cats having fun.

[@CatherineSTodd]

Back when real TALENT ruled the stage... oh, how I miss those days! This is GREAT.

[@marywillis1630]

And since we gotta stay home --'-- yehaaaa!

[@Onionbaron]

Almost like the 10 top streaming songs now... 🥺

[@TONEBHURT]

the best of the best!

[@marywillis1630]

Some days I get Lucky. I found this. Lucky day.

[@jenniferjohnson511]

Yes I too luck up on this one too. My kind of music. Big Mama Thornton and Charles Smith. Woweee. Muddy Waters. What a handsome cool 😎 man on stage.

[@mioszbrzozowski4657]

Simply beautiful

[@kcamp300]

Just the best! Thanks for posting. Love it Muddy.

[@joycesmith3344]

Big Mama Thornton is amazing , I remember my mom talking about her back when she would visit her sisters in Chicago, I had no idea what I was missing. Great blues woman. Must find more of her to view.

[@msaintpc]

Joyce, I played the chittlin circuit while still just a kid around the same time Buddy Miles and Jimi played it. Ran across her often. Big Mama, she was something else, and the sweetest person you ever saw.

[@gangoffour6690]

Man what else can you say. I love and have always loved the blues since I was 17 years old in Boston. All the great musicians came through town. My friends were going to Led Zep , Sabath, Deep Purple, ELP, YES. All great but I was going to see the blues greats in the small clubs in Cambridge and Boston.

[@brendothedude4660]

Big Joe Turner puts on a show!

[@craigmccauley3972]

Awesome show!

[@ljswack]

Thank You 3x for this Gem, Sister can blow the Harp

[@camillabarnes6678]

Amazing Thanks.

[@renaatdeckers4940]

Big joe Turner!

[@rogerodonnell4811]

thank you this what talk about when they say the blues

[@carlenedean8382]

I LOVE Big Mama Thornton!!! She and her band were amazing!!!! Great video!

[@marjoryrainey5761]

So naturally Kool!

[@dianaheaberlin5422]

Wonderful discovery this morning!

[@franz909]

Had to play it few times , Big Joe Turner in back seat of car at 23 : 00 complaining about " water in the bottle " ..... and Big Momma snapped back " I see you ain't refusing " , some funny sh#t .

[@Mrtiguan09]

Indeed, I heard Big Mamma fire back at Big Joe Turner. I've known lot's of people over the years that mooch and then complain. Funny Stuff.

[@joehiggs100]

A superb document. Great hair and support from the excellent backing band. ;-)

[@vanportnotary2907]

I was there! This was the first blues concert I'd ever attend. I went with my aunt Mardell when I was 10 years old. She said she knew I'd enjoy it and boy did I :-). I'm so glad I found this video on KZbin!!!

[@drewbabydrew7742]

How COOL cheers

[@bobyost42]

I'm glad I found this but even more glad that YOU found this!!! Having this be your first concert is setting the bar really high, bet you didn't see many as good as this... but no one else did either!

[@lightuptheworld333]

VanPort Notary makes me happy to hear a thing like that!

[@atuliti]

Wow!! Vanport

[@madcatguy6]

My surname is mardell

[@lawrenceahern2778]

I remember Gun Smoke !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@radclyffeja]

great music

[@andybuschek5294]

It was always amazing to me that these black musicians were able to make it to the studio and record such amazing music, even though they had to fight with so much Injustice at the time. I will always be a fan!

[@delilahrai5228]

PERSEVERANCE!!! It's in our blood!!!

[@catdaddy3302]

I saw Pinetop Perkins take a Chicago cab to a gig in Clarksdale, Mississippi once. He never ceased to amaze me. The cab driver owed him a favor. 💙

[@catdaddy3302]

@@delilahrai5228 and y’all know something about a “ball and chain.” 💙

[@tnrc75]

Same. It's why I will never stop loving this music.

[@psa8420]

Thats y we will never hear the best. Because the best didn't do what it took to get on a big stage. Their cool just drinking in a backyard and playin the blues to themselves. These people we are watching knows a few like them in the hood. South Memphis, beale st. They learned that sound and took into mainstream

[@robertboyd7069]

nice!

[@JustVinnyBlues]

I saw Big Mama Thornton ten years prior to this, at the Ash Grove in Los Angeles. She was a lot heavier then, and fortunately she lost a lot of weight, stopped smoking and added years to her life. But what a performer she was; she commanded the stage. I will never forget her opening, as they darkened the entire room and the stage. All you saw was this cigarette being lit, the glow of the cigarette, then some smoke wafting through the air, a dim red back light and the enormous profile there; and she was tall too, a commanding presence. In that relatively small room she blew the roof off that place. This generation of performer knew how to command a stage and bring it all; they had done thousands of one night stands; they lived on that stage. And they knew how to put on a show. In this decade, the blues became popular with white audiences; but black audiences had stopped listening to it in favor of more modern forms of urban music. In 1969 I saw Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker on the same bill in a small club in Detroit, and they played until about 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning, alternating sets. The greatest show I have ever seen in my life. They played like there were 50,000 people in the audience, not 50. Muddy Waters had been in a motorcycle accident and played all night on crutches. In a small venue these performer's musical charisma was awe inspiring. Muddy Waters, when he sang, I still remember thinking - wow, this is like the Moon singing - that face - the resonance - it was so powerful. Hooker was also amazing, with a completely different performance style. He got too drunk to play the guitar, so started singing A Capella sitting on the edge of the stage - and it was even better. When I left that club, I thought - "that was it, it will never get any better."

[@1k3mon]

t.y4share

[@msaintpc]

I was there too!

[@mcurran2]

This is fantastic Vinny thanks for sharing this. To have seen some of these legendary performers before they passed must have been mind-blowing. These road warriors did indeed know how to stage a show - the brought it!

[@msaintpc]

Vinny, did you say 1969? That small club wouldn't have been the Flame Showbar on Hastings would it? I'm one of them old dudes that knows Detroit like the back of my hand and was there when Hitsville first got going. That was a helluva town back in the day before they shut down the mills.

[@JustVinnyBlues]

You know I really don't remember. I do remember it was very small, and inside it was tables and chairs; and very quiet attentive audience. I even recall people might have been bringing in their own drinks. I remember a neon sign outside, and for some reason "checker" or "chess" or something like that. But I might be completely wrong. And there was a stage, but it was just about big enough for Muddy and his band.

[@elizabethhestevold1340]

Amazing ♥️ they were the best Blues singers ever.🇩🇰🇺🇸Life was good then. To bad much off their music was not recorded. It's easy to see, hear, the roots off Rock and much off what we have today. But, then much deeper, and soulfull. Sincipatio unbelievable.😖Was waiting to hear her version off " The Hound dog" Yes , Hollywood gives an take. She is so spirited!♥️

[@mikol1572]

Marvelous !!!

[@dubious1s]

Here you have black people, white people, young people, old people, women and men, all I can say is DAMN diversity sure sounds good to me!

[@patrickhessling1928]

Its so good to read a Comment which make you smile and Not cry. Thank you Peace

[@patrickhessling1928]

@Dfw Fqdefqw Youre right but better than nothing. I think racism is a Manipulation in our mind like other illnes in our World. So Dance smile and feel good for a few hours. Its a little Peacefull Moment in a dying World.

[@B0BBYD1G1TAL]

Without African-Americans there would be no great music imo. without western Europeans i wouldnt be able to hear it right now.. imo. So all who were involved in creating and time travelling this from 1971 to my ears.. i thank you, whoever you are.

[@curleyteeth]

Does to me too Jon lad.Jim.Liverpool.

[@marjoryrainey5761]

Hell yeah!

[@DLPugh]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[@LowreensLiveBlues]

Nice...

[@markherbert1085]

thank you for the Posting . Great Context with the Gunsmoke Crew with appreciation for those who identified the Musicians . War is Over (if you want it)

[@freenoble1586]

this is great , thanks for sharing

[@brucegilkey3047]

Think and Grow Rich

[@maiden2314]

This is rock and roll!.!.!.And I love it.!.!.Thanks for posting.!.!.Lots of hugs and kisses.!.!.I got my mojo now.!.!.

[@robinrushing1334]

Go Big MT, so freakin soulful!

[@ahambartsumyan]

Thanks a bunch!!!!

[@msaintpc]

This doc is so fkg awesome! Everybody in the car drunker than a mfr. Lol, I was surprised Big Mama didn't have her gun out waiving it around like she usually did back then.

[@andrejanikolic3514]

❤

[@travisloko2964]

❤

[@starkraven2412]

WOW HALL in Eugene,OR ??? my hometown , too bad I was only 12 when this show was there - Wow Hall = wow -damn - I worked @ Wow Hall in the 80's was the place to see shows -saw Clarence GateMouth Brown there

[@philfrank9226]

That`s my favorite version of Long Distance Call.......in F .

[@josefinidad5019]

Did anyone really know her greatness..meaning big mama...she was not a big mama...but mama to us who loved her and the bluses.

[@msaintpc]

I knew her well. I played piano and bass behind her many times. The great Pete "Guitar" Lewis was my harp and guitar teacher back in the late 1950s, he played the guitar on her recording 'Hound Dog". She was a doll, had a wife and several women on the side, was one of the most feared and famous knife fighters in the south (you can see many cuts on her face) and would cut your head off if you said the wrong thing to her. Loved her to death.

[@rodsmith7947]

Come on. This is good.good.good.

[@elin6240]

Ran into her in a blues club in 1980 in Montreal. She sat at our table, as did BB King. One of those great, unexpected events, right place at the right time.

[@bobyost42]

You sat with royalty that night.

[@sanfordpotts7214]

Wow....just amazing awesome blues...by some of the greatest...just like double dating in a 1955 Chevy listening to John R. and Hoss Allen on WLAC Radio in Nashville, Tennessee. Nothing like the BLUES with a good lookin woman and a cold beer!

[@frank-ts1yr]

Hope you got their signature

[@dustylove8929]

Fantastic! thanks for sharing!

[@rexhargrove5172]

Hot damn hot damn! Thank you so much for uploading!

[@thesmithselvis]

What a truly magical piece of musical history captured on celluloid. I discovered Big Mama Thornton through being an Elvis fan. Since discovering her I bought some for her albums too. The performances captured here of all the artists is absolutely spellbinding. I loved the interviews on the tour bus too, they were fascinating. They must've had some parties on the road on that tour. Thanks so much for posting this film. I watched it from start to finish, it was sheer bliss.

[@rodsreel]

Man, first time I hear and see Big MT, this women swings the blues big time - WOW, the whole show just blew me away . Where the hell have I been all these years !! shame on me !! Cheers fae Bonnie Scotland Highlands.

[@glennhecker4422]

Yes, music is a universal language -- and you just know when it's hot!

[@atuliti]

True that Rodsreel !!

[@tnrc75]

welcome!

[@tomleutner7945]

What a great film. Thank you. I loved Gunsmoke as a kid, every saturday night. So glad you guys left the set and filmed this amazing group of players! WOW. Not sure what the 6 people were thinking to vote this thumbs down? DO you realize who you are watching and listening to?? and the contributions they have made as individuals to the world of music? Better go to Cleveland, visit the R&R Hall of Fame and get schooled. Or just watch and enjoy!

[@snidepete5700]

"Buy a blues album today, while you still can" - Elwood Blues, 1971. Still applies today!

[@cosmyccowboy]

Tom Leutner i thought gunsmoke was on Monday night)!!!

[@tnrc75]

bots

[@fasteddie8782]

wow this was posted on my birthday!love the blues,watched this like 50 times so far

[@klausmuller1472]

great stuff, thx

[@TheAcinom1971]

This made mine..a GREAT evening! My son's is in bed, my wife's busy with work, can't get any better then this..what a show!!!❤

[@vernwallen4246]

That's where MR Presley got his"jive" from.Lot's of black singers came from northern,MS.same locale as Elvis birth place.🗽🗽🗽👍👍👍

[@vernwallen4246]

"let it roll like a big wheel in a Georgia cotton field,honey hush".🗽🗽🗽🗽🗽🗽🗽👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@desktorp]

big joe dominates despite being totally fuckin trashed lol

[@shaserv]

Man, she could blow that harp. Pisses me off when I think of all that was stolen from them.