Legendary blues tenor saxophonist Eddie Shaw began playing at early age. During his teens he traveled around his home state of Mississippi playing nightclubs, schools, and dances and jamming with bands such as Ike Turner’s and Guitar Slim’s. In 1957, at just 20-years-old, Shaw sat in with the Muddy Waters band in Itta Bena, Mississippi. Waters hired him on the spot and Shaw began his Chicago career where he’d continue to play with Waters, as well as Howlin’ Wolf and many others including Luther “Guitar Jr.” Johnson, Magic Sam, Hound Dog Taylor, Otis Rush, Jimmy Dawkins and Freddie King.
Shaw’s many contributions to the blues include arranging tracks for The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions, which featured Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman, Ringo Starr and others. He has received numerous awards, most recently winning the 2013 Blues Music Award for Best Instrumentalist-Horn and was also honored with the 2013 Blues Blast Lifetime Achievement Award.
Besides constantly touring for decades, Shaw has continued to record prolifically. From his debut album, Have Blues, Will Travel, released in 1977, to his 2012 Eddie Shaw And The 757 Allstars release Still Riding High, an album that recapped his illustrious career as a blues man extraordinaire and was nominated for “Best Traditional Blues Album” for the 2013 Blues Blast Awards.
The Maintenance Shop in the ISU Memorial Union, winners of the 1994 KBA for club/venue, proudly present Eddie Shaw & the Wolfgang as the first in a series of shows celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the M-Shop on Friday, January 31. Doors open at 8:30 for the 9:00 show. For ticket or other information, check out the M-Shop website.
