Keith Richards discussed paying homage to the musician who served as the inspiration for the Rolling Stones’ moniker during a recent interview on the Howard Stern Show. Stern asked Richards if he wanted to pay tribute to Muddy Waters with this song after the band performed their rendition of his “Rollin’ Stone” from their upcoming album, “Hackney Diamonds.” The musician gave his reply, saying: “Yeah, and that’s how we first came up with the band’s name. When they answered the phone and were asked, “What are you called?” they saw Muddy’s album cover laying on the ground, with the first track being “Rollin’ Stone.” Because this phone call is expensive, I said, “The Rolling Stones.”
Stern then intervened to compliment the song and remark that it perfectly encapsulates the true spirit of the Rolling Stones. Keith’s response stated: Yes, I agree, these are the fundamentals, and everything else is… This is where it originates. While the Stones took a two-day break in the middle of the 1960s to record songs in Chicago at Chess Studios, the rocker had the opportunity to meet the late musician. They discovered Waters had actually been painting the studio building’s ceiling. Richards described his encounter with his hero as follows: “When we entered Chess Studios, a man in black overalls was painting the ceiling. And it’s Muddy Waters, who is perched atop a ladder with white paint running down his face.
