Image by MachocarÂiÂoÂca, via WikiÂmeÂdia ComÂmons
You don’t have to, like, stretch your brain or anyÂthing to ratÂtle off a list of KeiÂth Richards’ influÂences. If you’ve ever heard a Rolling Stones song, you’ve heard him pull out his MudÂdy Waters and Chuck Berry riffs, and he’s nevÂer been shy about supÂportÂing and namÂing his idols. He’s played with Waters, Berry, and many more blues and earÂly rock and roll greats, and after borÂrowÂing heavÂiÂly from them, the Stones gave back by proÂmotÂing and tourÂing with the artists who proÂvidÂed the raw mateÂrÂiÂal for their sound.
Then there’s the 2002 comÂpiÂlaÂtion The Devil’s Music, culled from Richards’ perÂsonÂal favorite colÂlecÂtion of blues, soul, and R&B clasÂsics, and feaÂturÂing big names like Robert JohnÂson, LitÂtle Richard, Bob MarÂley, Albert King, and Lead BelÂly, and more obscure artists like Amos MilÂburn, and JackÂie BrenÂston. You may also recall last year’s Under the InfluÂence, a NetÂflix docÂuÂmenÂtary by 20 Feet From StarÂdom direcÂtor MorÂgan Neville, in which Richards namechecks dozens of influÂenÂtial musicians—from his mum’s love of Sarah VaughÂan, Ella FitzgerÂald, and BilÂlie HolÂiÂday, to his and Jagger’s youthÂful adoÂraÂtion of Waters and Berry, to his rock star hangÂouts with Willie Dixon and HowlÂin’ Wolf.
Point is, KeiÂth Richards loves to talk about the music he loves. A big part of the Stones’ appeal—at least in their 60s/early 70s prime—was that they were such eager fans of the musiÂcians they emuÂlatÂed. Yes, Jagger’s phoÂny counÂtry drawls and blues howls could be a litÂtle embarÂrassÂing, his chickÂen dance a litÂtle less than soulÂful. But the earnestÂness with which the young EngÂlishÂmen purÂsued their AmerÂiÂcana ideals is infecÂtious, and Richards has spread his love of U.S. roots music through every mediÂum, includÂing his 2010 memÂoir Life, a wickedÂly ironÂic title—given Richards’ No. 1 posiÂtion on the “rock stars most-likeÂly-to-die list,” writes Michiko KakuÂtani, “and the one life form (besides the cockÂroach) capaÂble of surÂvivÂing nuclear war.”
It’s also a very poignant title, givÂen Richards’ sinÂgle-mindÂed purÂsuit of a life govÂerned by music he’s loved as pasÂsionÂateÂly, or more so, as the women in his life. Richards, KakuÂtani writes, dedÂiÂcatÂed himÂself “like a monk to masÂterÂing the blues.” Of this callÂing, he writes, “you were supÂposed to spend all your wakÂing hours studyÂing JimÂmy Reed, MudÂdy Waters, LitÂtle WalÂter, HowlÂin’ Wolf, Robert JohnÂson. That was your gig. Every othÂer moment takÂen away from it was a sin.” In the course of the book, Richards menÂtions over 200 artists, songs, and recordÂings that directÂly inspired him earÂly or latÂer in life, and one enterÂprisÂing readÂer has comÂpiled them all, in order of appearÂance, in the SpoÂtiÂfy playlist above.
You’ll find here no surÂprisÂes, but if you’re a Stones fan, it’s hard to imagÂine you wouldn’t put this one on and lisÂten to it straight through withÂout skipÂping a sinÂgle track. When it comes to blues, soul, regÂgae, counÂtry, and rock and roll, KeiÂth Richards has impecÂcaÂble taste. ScatÂtered amidst the Aaron Neville, Etta James, Gram ParÂsons, Elvis, WilÂson PickÂett, etc. are plenÂty of clasÂsic Stones recordÂings that feel right at home next to their influÂences and peers.
With the excepÂtion of regÂgae artists like JimÂmy Cliff and Sly & RobÂbie, most of the tracks are from U.S. or U.S.-inspired artists (Tom Jones, Cliff Richard). Again, no surÂprisÂes. Not everyÂone Richards approÂpriÂatÂed has appreÂciÂatÂed the homage (Chuck Berry long held a grudge), but were it not for his fanÂdom and apprenÂticeÂship, it’s posÂsiÂble a great many blues records would have gone unsold, and some artists may have fadÂed into obscuÂriÂty. Thanks to playlists like these, they can live on in a digÂiÂtal age that doesn’t always do so well at acknowlÂedgÂing or rememÂberÂing its hisÂtoÂry.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Chuck Berry Takes KeiÂth Richards to School, Shows Him How to Rock (1987)
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness.
#4 should be “The EverÂly brothÂers”, not “The Old BrothÂers”.