Peter Madcat Ruth on Learning Harp and Lessons With Big Walter

PETER “MADCAT” RUTH is one of the best-known harmonica players alive. His harmonica playing has been heard on hundreds of albums of all music styles, from blues to pop to country. He’s also known to generations of harmonica players for his instructional videos on topics including harmonica basics and rhythm playing. Ruth developed his highly personal style in the shadow of some of Chicago’s blues greats. He talked to Harmonica World about his apprenticeship, lessons with Big Walter Horton, and more.

By Justin M. Norton

How did you discover the harmonica?

RUTH: My father played harmonica for about five minutes a year. So, I knew what the instrument was. When I was 15, I heard Sonny Terry on the radio, and I said: “What is that?” My Dad didn’t sound like that when he played. I was already playing guitar and loved it. When I heard the harmonica the sound of it just got to me. I had to learn how to do it.

How did you apprentice yourself to learning the instrument?

RUTH: It was 1964 and there weren’t any books out. So, I got an LP called Folk Festival at Newport that had two cuts by Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee. I got out my harmonica and tried to play along. One song was in the right key (F/Bb harmonica) so it sounded cool to play along. On the other song, I was like: “this sounds terrible.” It was in the wrong key (laughs).

It wasn’t like you could go on Google then and type “learn blues harmonica.” How did you develop skills on the instrument, especially when the living masters weren’t open about sharing?

RUTH: They certainly weren’t. What really helped me was that I was taking guitar lessons at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago (eds: modern master Joe Filisko heads harmonica instruction at the school now). They didn’t have any harmonica courses then but sold harmonicas in their store. I said I wanted to buy a harmonica and he (the clerk) said what key. The salesman told me to get an A harmonica to play in E. So, I got a C and A. Then I kept getting Sonny Terry records. For the first two years,

Photo by Thomas Fouts

I just tried to play along with Sonny Terry records. That was the learning experience for two years.

Sonny’s style is so idiosyncratic. There are certain articulations and breathing patterns no one else uses. Did that experience set the foundation for how you approached the instrument?

RUTH: After two years I thought there must be some other harmonica players out there. In about 1966 I got Junior Wells

Hoodoo Man Blues and that blew my mind. Then I got The Best of Little Walter and The Best of Sonny Boy Williamson (II) and there was an explosion of information. My learning method was still listening to records. I was also good enough with a guitar to find out where cross harp was for each key and get the right harps. I played guitar with harmonica on a rack. I didn’t get into a blues band until 1967.

I understand you had some in-person lessons with Big

Walter.

RUTH: In October 1966 I was in a Unitarian youth group. The president of the youth group wanted a blues group to play in our church basement. We sent a representative down to

Jazz Record Mart. They said we could hire Johnny Young and Walter Horton in our price range. So, they came and played in our church basement. Curiously enough, there was a young skinny white drummer playing with them. He looked to be my age. Turned out it was Iggy Pop (then known by his name Jim Osterberg). I didn’t even know it was Iggy Pop until decades later when I read an interview and he said he played a basement with Horton and Young. (That day) I heard someone say that he (Big Walter) gave lessons. I got up the nerve and ended up taking three lessons.

Tell me about what you learned.

RUTH: He said to get in touch with him via Bob Koester at Jazz Record Mart. Bob then told me to call Lincoln’s grocery store to get in touch with Walter. He didn’t have a phone but hung out there. I kept calling and asking for Walter and on the fourth or fifth time, he was there. Next Saturday I went down at 2 in the afternoon. His lessons were just playing something and then asking me to play it. He never said inhale and bend this note down a half step (laughs).

I have to imagine just being in his presence and hearing that sound made a huge impression.

RUTH: Absolutely. It showed me it was possible. When I heard him play it seemed possible. It wasn’t some recording technique or special amp. That’s him at the other side of the table making this incredible sound.

Photo by Joel Brown

You are known for comping and solo playing. So many players now seem to only want to get up and play behind a band. Is that component missing from a lot of playing?

RUTH: It’s important and it was a foundation for me. When I listened to Little Walter his band did the changes, and he would float on top. Big Walter would always do the changes with the band. One of the things I always try to do is learn the melody, then learn how to play the chord structure of a song. It’s not so much about “what lick can I fit in here.” It’s about learning to play the song through melody and chord structure. Website: https://www.petermadcatruth.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ query=peter+madcat+ruth+youtube Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petermadcat.ruth Music Instruction: https://www.homespun.com/instructors/peter-madcat-ruth/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Madcat_Ruth