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Dedication Ceremony For Legendary Blues Guitarist Muddy Waters, As Mural Goes Up On State Street
WHAT: Dedication Ceremony and Tribute Performance for the Muddy Waters Mural
The mural is located on the building at 17 N. State Street
WHEN: Thursday, June 8
NOON
WHERE: N. State Street on the west sidewalk between E. Randolph & E. Washington Streets
WHO: Mercy Morganfield, Muddy Waters Foundation and Muddy’s daughter
Muddy Waters Legacy Band featuring Muddy’s sons, Mud and Big Bill Morganfield
*Billy Branch – Chicago Blues Festival Headliner
*Che “Rhymefest” Smith – Chicago Blues Festival Headliner
*Eduardo Kobra, mural artist
Mark Kelly, Commissioner of DCASE; and founder, Wabash Arts Corridor
Anne Voshel, Principal at AVA Consultants
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and the Chicago Loop Alliance will host a dedication ceremony for the Muddy Waters mural at the corner of State and Washington Streets. The dedication will feature a performance by the Muddy Waters Legacy Band featuring Muddy’s sons Mud and Big Bill Morganfield and former band members, John Primer, Rick Kreher, Studebaker John, Edward McDaniel, Donny Nichilo and Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith. There will also be a speaking program anchored by world-renowned artist Eduardo Kobra.
Muddy Waters, the artist who electrified the Chicago blues, arrived in Chicago as a part of the “great migration” of African Americans from the southern United States to Chicago in the late 1930s and 40s. He transformed the Delta blues into the Chicago sound that has influenced generations of musicians like the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Buddy Guy and countless other blues, jazz and rock-n-roll artists.
Eduardo Kobra, an internationally acclaimed Brazilian street artist, created the nine-story mural of Chicago blues legend Muddy Waters in the Loop. The mural is located at 17 N. State Street and is visible along State Street at Washington Street. For his mural of Muddy Waters in the Loop, Kobra was assisted by a team of three Brazilian visual artists and completed the work in just over two weeks on Friday, May 20, 2016. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and DCASE have designated 2017 as the Year of Public Art in Chicago—and the Muddy Waters Mural, created as part of the Wabash Arts Corridor established by Columbia College Chicago, is a wonderful addition to the city’s arts scene
Kobra and the Muddy Waters Foundation will be hosting a pop-up shop selling merchandise inspired by the mural at the Virgin Hotel, 203 N. Wabash Avenue. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the Muddy Waters Foundation. Additionally, the artist will be creating an extremely limited edition of 100 prints of the Muddy mural and the first time that any mural by Kobra is available in a print sized version. Pop-up Shop Hours: Thursday, June 8, 1–5 p.m.; Friday, June 9, 2–10 p.m. and Saturday, June 10, 2–10 p.m.
The dedication is being held as a kick off to the Chicago Blues Festival, June 9-11 in its new home, Millennium Park. For more complete details and festival schedule, please visit chicagobluesfestival.us and join the conversation on Facebook (Chicago Blues Festival) and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ChicagoDCASE (#ChicagoBluesFestival).
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