Chicago saxophonist Eddie Shaw counts himself lucky to have shared the stage with such legendary blues artists as Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters.

"I thank the good Lord I was here to be around the kings of the blues," said Shaw, who will be in concert with his band the Wolf Gang tomorrow night at the Third Annual Hines Farm Blues Festival.

Shaw, 68, a native of Greenville, Miss., used to jam with Ike Turner's band as a young saxophonist. He was 14 years old when Muddy Waters heard him play tenor and immediately hired him to join his band.

In 1957, Shaw moved from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago with Waters' band, encountering a blues scene that was in full swing.

"There was a lot of music going on," Shaw said. "You could go from one club to the other and see Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Magic Sam - all the major blues artists were there."

After one year with Muddy Waters, Shaw joined Howlin' Wolf's group and stayed with the gravelly voiced bluesman for 13 years, becoming his musical director and personal director.

"Muddy was a great guy to work with. It was an experience," Shaw said.

As for Howlin' Wolf, "I was with him for 13 years and he was always nice to me. He didn't get angry like a lot of guys said. I never experienced the toughness that people talk about. But he didn't pull no punches. He expected the musicians to be able to play the songs."

Also performing at the Hines Farm Blues Festival, which runs from 2 p.m. to midnight, will be Big Blues Bob and the Thin Ice Band, Doreen Robideaux, and Detroit guitarist Eddie Kirkland. Tickets are $15 at the door. Hines Farm is located at 3950 South Berkey Southern Rd., Swanton. More information is available online at www.hinesfarm.com.

Contact David Yonke at: dyonke@theblade.com

or 419-724-6154.

First Published August 20, 2004, 11:37 a.m.