Blues Revue said he plays "joyous rave-ups…he testifies with stunning soul fervor and powerful guitar.

He moved to Chicago in 1950, playing predominantly gospel, and later developed his blues artistry after working with Magic Sam, Otis Rush, and others.

He performed in the US (especially around the Chicago area, where he resides) and internationally, having played at blues festivals in France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Turkey and the Netherlands.

Clearwater regularly performed songs by Rush, Magic Sam, and Berry, as well as original compositions.

[5] He worked steadily throughout the 1960s and 1970s and was among the first blues musicians to find success with Chicago's North Side college audiences.

[7] In 2004, he was nominated for a Grammy Award with Los Straitjackets for their collaborative album Rock 'n' Roll City.

His album West Side Strut, released by Alligator Records in 2008, was described by Vintage Guitar magazine as "great blues.

One listen and you'll wonder why Clearwater's name isn't respectfully spoken in the same breath as Freddie King and Otis Rush.