Muddy Waters — Rockpalast, Dortmund, 1978

35

Why this recording

MIG, the label that issued this concert on CD, DVD and vinyl, posts WDR's TV recording here in its original definition, that of a 1978 video broadcast. The detailed setlist credits every songwriter and shows how much of the set is covers: Willie Dixon, Big Joe Williams, Leiber and Stoller for "Kansas City", Little Walter, and Robert Johnson to close. The label's notes point viewers to Muddy Waters' Fender Telecaster playing, especially on the slow blues. Every song is timestamped, from "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" at 1:19 to "Sweet Home Chicago" at 56:14.

— Simon Janvier, live-sound professional and editor of the catalogue

Recording technical sheet

Rights-holding channelMIG Music
Source statusOfficial — label or producer
Broadcast
Uploaded
Exact runtime
ResolutionSD
Source qualityProfessional (multi-camera)

Metadata checked on YouTube on 29 September 2026; direction, camera setup and sound documented by the editors.

Published on August 9, 2026 by

Live concert film of Muddy Waters for the Rockpalast programme, recorded on 10 December 1978 at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany, by broadcaster WDR. A founding figure of Chicago electric blues, McKinley Morganfield, known as Muddy Waters, leads here one of the finest bands of his career. This full concert runs through several of his classics: « I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man », « They Call Me Muddy Waters », « Walkin’ Thru the Park », « Mannish Boy », « Got My Mojo Working » and « Sweet Home Chicago ». Around the singer-guitarist stand pianist Pinetop Perkins, drummer Willie « Big Eyes » Smith, bassist Calvin Jones, guitarists Luther « Guitar Junior » Johnson and Bob Margolin, and harmonica player Jerry Portnoy. The polished German television direction captures the full vocal power and stage charisma of the master. This live recording is a major historical document: an essential live concert film for understanding the roots of electric blues and its influence on rock.

Setlist

  1. I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man
  2. Soon Forgotten
  3. Baby Please Don't Go
  4. They Call Me Muddy Waters
  5. Walkin' Thru the Park
  6. Country Boy (All Night Long)
  7. Kansas City
  8. Caledonia
  9. Everything Gonna Be Alright
  10. Mannish Boy
  11. Got My Mojo Working
  12. Sweet Home Chicago

Personnel & credits

  • Muddy Waters — vocals, guitar
  • Luther « Guitar Junior » Johnson — guitar, vocals
  • Bob Margolin — guitar
  • Pinetop Perkins — piano, vocals
  • Calvin Jones — bass
  • Jerry Portnoy — harmonica
  • Willie « Big Eyes » Smith — drums
Category

What to watch next

Muddy Waters appears 2 more times in the catalogue, and Rockpalast (WDR) gathers 7 recordings in all.

More recordings of Muddy Waters