IT is not easy following in your father’s footsteps when he has been described as the legendary icon of the blues.

But Mud Morganfield, the eldest son of Muddy Waters, more than lives up to his father’s name.

Morganfield is on the final leg of a UK tour which has included the Isle of Wight.

It was a major coup for Southampton’s latest major music venue and club bosses are hoping this will be the first in a series of top blues musicians from both sides of the big pond.

Mud and his brilliant musicians will be a hard act to follow.

Dressed in a long dazzling white jacket the American singer was like a prize fighter entering the ring, as he made his grand entrance from the back of the 1865 club to roars of approval from blues fans.

And when he hit the stage he delivered a knock out performance to a packed audience.

It was like suddenly being transported to a blues club in Chicago or Beale Street in Memphis.

Morganfield carved out his career in the blues clubs on the south side of Chicago where he performed a mix of his father’s material and his own original work. And he learned his trade well.

In front of an appreciative audience his 90 minute set covered a wide range of blues music from basement blues to high tempo tracks.

It was a breath taking stuff backed by world class musicians. Solos by Ronni Boyson (guitar) Steve “West” Weston (harmonica) and Eric Ranzoni (keyboards) were pure magic.

Baby Please Don’t Go, Midnight Lover and Everything’s Gonna Be Alright were among this mouth watering blues collection which received countless standing ovations.

Mud says: “When I'm up on stage I always feel pops is there with me and it means so much that I keep his music alive around the world.”

It was easy to see that the spirit of Muddy Waters was not far away.

Morganfield rounded off the evening with Got My Mojo Working and left the stage as he arrived, weaving through the audience and exchanging handshakes.

Demands for a encore were rewarded with I’m A Man, inspired by Muddy Waters’ Hoochie Coochie Man.

WOW was how a blues fan described this performance as he disappeared into the Southampton night.

Muddy Waters' rich musical legacy is certainly safe in the hands of his talented son. Pops would have been proud.