"BACK DOOR MAN!" More Howlin' Wolf Lessons for Cigar Box Guitar

You asked for more Howlin' Wolf... so you're gettin' more!  For this lesson, I've taken the 1960 Chess Records version of "Back Door Man" and distilled the guitar parts down to a single 3-string cigar box guitar riff. 

For reference, let's hear the original song first...

According to Wikipedia, the song was recorded in Chicago in June 1960 by Howlin' Wolf (vocals), Otis Spann (piano), Hubert Sumlin and Freddy Robinson (guitars), Willie Dixon (double bass), and Fred Below (drums). 

Sumlin and Robinson's guitars continue to weave in and out with Spann's piano...making a very busy groove.

I've taken the Low E string guitar groove and mixed it with a High E string part to create a simplified riff that incorporates much of the mojo.

Enjoy...

-Shane Speal

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Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on September 17, 2018 at 4:55pm

Best thing about the Wolf is the two guitars are always playing back at each other like they’re finishing each other’s sentence, great stuff & witty interpretation on a classic 

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