Howlin' Wolf

Birth Name:

Chester Arthur Burnett

Birth Date:

June 10, 1910

Birth Place:

White Station, Mississippi

Death Date:

January 10, 1976

Place of Death:

Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines, Illinois

Age:

Cause of Death:

Complications from brain cancer and kidney disease

Cemetery Name:

Oakridge-Glen Oaks Cemetery

Claim to Fame:

Music

Chester Arthur Burnett, known as Howlin’ Wolf or Howling Wolf, was one of the most influential musicians of the post–World War II era. His electric blues guitar, backing his powerful, howling voice, helped shape rock and roll. The raw, rasping, guttural power of Wolf's fierce voice, combined with his imposing physical presence and wild stage abandon, made him unforgettable. His influence stretched far beyond the realm of the blues; British rock performers Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, and The Yardbirds merged Wolf's blues with white rock and roll in songs like "Smokestack Lightning," "Ain't Superstitious," "Back Door Man" and "Little Red Rooster." Wolf was an experimental bluesman who formulated a wide range of moods and possibilities for his songs. He was also notably consistent: Throughout his career he retained the style, vigor, and flavor of the Mississippi Delta blues of his early years.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Oakridge-Glen Oaks Cemetery

4301 West Roosevelt Road

Hillside, Illinois, 60162

USA

North America

Map:

Map of Oakridge-Glen Oaks Cemetery in Hillside Illinois

Yes, I realize half the map is upside down. That's how we received it from the cemetery.

Grave Location:

Section 18, Lot 325

Grave Location Description

As you enter the cemetery through the Oakridge Avenue entrance, drive straight ahead to the back of the cemetery and park between Section 18 and Section 19 (with Section 18 on your left). Just off the road you will see the large “Burnett” memorial with a guitar carved into the marble above his name.