Muddy Waters, born McKinley Morganfield in 1915, was an American blues musician and singer who is widely considered one of the most influential figures in the history of modern blues and rock music. Born in Mississippi, Waters grew up in the rural south and was first exposed to the blues as a young boy. He quickly became captivated by the music and began to develop his own style, incorporating elements of gospel, country, and blues to create a unique sound that would come to define modern blues.

Waters began his professional music career in the 1940s, performing in the blues clubs and juke joints of the Mississippi Delta. He soon gained a reputation as a powerful and distinctive singer and guitarist, and in 1943, he was discovered by Alan Lomax, a folklorist and musicologist who was collecting recordings of traditional American music for the Library of Congress.

In the late 1940s and 1950s, Waters began to gain national recognition for his work, and he was soon hailed as one of the most important figures in the blues. He recorded many of his most famous songs during this time, including "I Just Want to Make Love to You," "Hoochie Coochie Man," and "Mannish Boy," and his influence can be heard in the work of countless musicians who followed in his wake.

Waters' impact on the world of music was profound and far-reaching, and his influence can be heard in the work of countless musicians who followed in his wake. He was a major influence on the blues revival of the 1960s and 1970s, and his work continues to inspire new generations of musicians and fans.

Waters died in 1983 at the age of 68, but his legacy lives on. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and his music continues to be celebrated and enjoyed by fans around the world. Muddy Waters will always be remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of modern blues and rock music, and his contributions to the world of music will continue to be celebrated for generations to come.