Charlie Musselwhite

At a Grand Emporium show a few years back, Charlie Musselwhite leaned back to jump into his first solo, then stopped for a measure to get his mustache just so — and grown men just about burst into tears of anticipation. Full of stories of playing with people like Big Joe Williams and John Lee Hooker, Musselwhite has become the man about whom other bluesmen tell stories. Since 1967’s classic Stand Back! Here Comes Charlie Musselwhite’s Southside Band, Musselwhite’s been about as understatedly cool as cool could be. From the beginning, he was the harpist others imitated, and now, in his “legend” years, he’s settled into the role of experimenter, most recently challenging blues purists with Cuban and Brazilian styles. He’s a survivor, Mr. Musselwhite, and a teacher — one of the best there is.