Johnny Winter / James Cotton / - Boston Music Hall 1977

At a point in time when Johnny Winter had only recently recovered from past addictions and blues giant Muddy Waters faced a decline in his career brought on by illness and the 1975 collapse of Chess Records, it was Steve Paul of Blue Sky who appeared as savior to both musicians. The results of his investment soon paid off and Winter's childhood dream of playing alongside his hero Muddy Waters came to fruition on Waters' 1977 comeback album Hard Again, a return to Waters' original Chicago sound. It's raw, expressive feel harkened back to his Chess Records days, and the outstanding musicianship and intimate exuberance exceeded all expectations, earning Waters a Grammy. The Hard Again tour combined the respected powerhouse of Waters, Winter, and James Cotton with musicians from the Hard Again sessions. Although this particular collaboration was short-lived, it has provided blues fans a rare opportunity to indulge in the work of two hugely important musical figures whose respect for each other is evidently unflinching. Two live albums, Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live and Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down, have allowed a glimpse of the concerts from 1977 and '78, but this Boston performance has never previously seen the light of day. Echoes proudly presents the entire WBCN-FM broadcast of a performance at the Boston Music Hall on February 26, 1977, digitally remastered, with in-depth liner notes and rare photos.