Recently I took a pilgrimage to the south side of Chicago. 4339 S. Lake Park Ave doesn't look like much of anything from the street. It stands there lonely and forgotten, many of it's windows boarded, in a state of decay. A closer look reveals two painted flamingos on the front door and an inscription - "Muddy."

The house was built in 1879 and was purchased by Muddy Waters in 1954. He lived there for 20 plus years during the height of his career. It has been vacant for many years due to legal issues and has changed owners several times. There is a giant push worldwide to have the property preserved as a historical site.

Walking up to the house I tried to imagine what it must of been like back in Muddy's day. You could've probably heard Muddy's band practicing in the basement. Maybe you could smell his wife Geneva's cooking on a Sunday afternoon. I imagine the house in it's prime condition. The property would've been a source of pride for Muddy - a far cry from his upbringing in Mississippi. Sitting there on the same steps where Muddy used to sit I found myself overwhelmed with reverence.