In Remembrance 2008 May They Rest In Peace

I hope we don't have another year like this. The number of blues performers, or people who helped the blues that have left us in 2008 was staggering. It really doesn't matter how prepared or how much you know that the music we love has a lot of older performers, and this is going to happen it still hurts. I suppose the one advantage of living in the modern world, is that we still have sounds and images of our beloved bluesmen and blueswomen. Much like Skip James, Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, and Memphis Minnie still live on, many of our heroes will live on even after they have left this world. This list of blues performers, and lovers is very long. they consist of National, Regional, and local blues artists, and promoters. Some artist were perhaps more into Jazz, or Rock, but they still had some sort of impact on our music. Perhaps the worst month for me personally was the period of August 10th through September 21st. Four Iowa blues musicians died during that time period, and all of them played Bass Guitar. Jim Faur, Rick Cicalo, Ed Eaves, and Ellery Temple(who also played piano) all died over a 40 day period. It was devastating since three of them were close friends of mine, and while I had only met Rick once, I know he would have been a great friend as well.

Lets us remember these performers and promoters of the blues. If I have missed anyone, and I am sure I have please email and I will add them to the list.


Eartha Kitt
Robert Ward
Bobbye King
Texas Pete Mayer
Chico Banks
Odetta Holmes
Alice Mae Burnside
Pat Ramsey
Robert Lucas
Doris Carr
Rudy Ray Moore
Dee Dee Warwick
Levi Stubbs
Earl Palmer
Ellery Temple
Nappy Brown
Norman Whitfield
Ed Eaves
Rick Cicalo
Pete Allen
Jim Faur
Little Arthur Duncan
Hosea Leavy
Phil Guy
Maurice Reedus
Issac Hayes
Lee Young
Jerry Wexler
Lulu Reed
Hiram Bullock
Bo Diddly
Jimmy McGriff
Danny Rhodes
Chris Gaffney
Sean Costelllo
Skeeter Brandon
Jeff Healy
Buddy Miles
Calvin Owens
Francis Clay
Rob Enos
Weeping Willie Robinson


To check out individual obits please click on the obit 2008 tag below.

Eartha Kitt RIP

From Bob Corritore Blues News

• RIP Eartha Kitt 1/17/1927-12/25/2008: Though not really known as a blues performer, Eartha Kitt did record some spectacular R&B material during the 1950s for the Groove Record Label, and of course, her spectacular "Santa Baby" will live on through the ages. She is best remembered in her acting role as “Catwoman” on the televised Batman TV series of the 1960s. Click here to read her obituary from the New York Times. To see a great video of Eartha and Nat King Cole performing “Careless Love” together from the movie St. Louis Blues (about W.C. Handy), click here; and from the same movie, Eartha singing “Yellow Dog Blues”, click here. For a nice clip of a fur-clad Eartha singing her hit “Santa Baby”, click here. We will miss you, Eartha.

Robert Ward RIP

From Bob Corritore Blues News

• RIP Robert Ward 10/15/1938-12/25/2008: Robert Ward was one of soul music's greatest guitarists. Known as "The King of the Magnatone" for his wild use of that amplifier's exaggerated tremolo sound, Ward made his mark in the 1960s cutting spectacular sides with The Falcons, which also featured a young Wilson Pickett on lead vocals. It was his trademark guitar that was an integral part of The Falcons' classic song "I Found A Love". Ward was a founding member of The Ohio Untouchables, who later became The Ohio Players. Ward's guitar style was credited as a huge influence on guitarist Lonnie Mack. He would do session work for Motown Records in the 1970s, where he recorded sides with The Temptations and The Undisputed Truth. He resurfaced as a star in his own right in 1991, with the brilliant album Fear No Evil on the Black Top record label. He recorded subsequent albums for the Black Top and Delmark labels, before suffering a heart attack in 2000, which led a spiraling trend of health problems. He passed away on Christmas day at age 70. Robert Ward was an unmistakably talented musician whose recordings will live on forever as great works.

Bobbye King RIP

More sad news from Bob Corritore

• RIP Bobbye King – 2/12/1954-12/5/2008: Birmingham, Alabama born blues singer, Bobbye A. King Beavers, AKA Bobbye King, is not a well-known name in the blues, but she was considered to be "the Queen of the Peoria, Illinois blues scene". She passed away on December 6, 2008 at age 54. She brought great joy to her community. To read more about her life in the blues, click here and here.

Texas Pete Mayes RIP

From Bob Corritore Blues Newsletter.

• RIP Texas Pete Mayes – 3/21/1938-12/16/2008: Texas Blues guitar great Texas Pete Mayes passed away Tuesday after a long fight with heart troubles and diabetes that left him unable to play in his last years. He was 70. Mayes was born in the small Texas town of Double Bayou, where he took up guitar at an early age after being inspired by the music of T-Bone Walker and Lightnin' Hopkins. He moved to Houston in 1960, where he was based for the rest of his life. He performed in the bands of Junior Parker and Bill Doggett before fronting his own band, the Houserockers, which he kept going for over 40 years. Mayes made a handful of well-respected recordings that are definitive of Texas Blues guitar. His song “Lowdown Feelin'” was recently covered by the Mannish Boys, and is the title track of their latest CD. For more information of this great bluesman's life and passing, click here.

Bettie Page RIP

About as far away from the blues that you can get, and yet I need to say something about Bettie Page. She is the girl that everyone saw and no one knew her name. She was a G-rated pinup girl who did adult themed photos. She was on everything in the 50s from postcards, books, magazines, and films. She appeared in Playboy, and was the model for the little bunny models that appear on the Playboy joke page. She disappeared into obscurity, until the 1980s, when a guy trying to relive childhood fantasies tried to find Ms. Page, and started a magazine called the Betty Pages. I remember reading those magazines and enjoying the story of this guy going from place to place just missing her. Finally found alive years later she kept hidden and only appeared in public on her 80th birthday with Hugh Hefner, and the artist Olivia











Even when Bettie was bad, she was still good, the proverbial girl next door. I am glad that she will never grow old. God bless you Bettie, may you rest in peace.

Chico Banks RIP

From Bob Corritore Blues News

• RIP Chico Banks: Word just came to us from Michael Freeman of Coachouse Industries that the young Chicago blues guitarist Vernon "Chico" Banks passed on December 2, 2008. He was 47. He was the son of legendary guitarist Jesse Banks (of The Mighty Clouds Of Joy), and he represented a younger generation in the Chicago Blues scene that mixed elements of rock and funk into the blues. He has performed and/or recorded with Willie Kent, James Cotton, Mavis and Pops Staples, Little Milton, Magic Slim, Big Time Sarah, Buddy Guy, Melvin Taylor, Freddie Roulette, Otis Clay, and others, as well as being a star in his own right. A popular hometown attraction with an international reputation, Chico will be greatly missed. There was no additional information available at the time of this writing.

UPDATE

from Bob Corritore comes an update. ChicoBanks died today. It is unfortunate in this day of the internet that sometimes news travels faster than reality. I am sorry that I jumped the gun on this. Here is what Bob wrote today:

• More Info on Chico Banks: News has come in Chico Banks apparently died just today Word from Katherine Davis via Chris James is that Chico was pronounced brain dead yesterday and died this afternoon. Apparently yesterday's word around Chicago of Chico's passing was premature, but was nonetheless circulating throughout the city. After receiving Michael Freeman's notification, we did a web search and found other listings of Chico's passing before we published our newsletter notification. We apologize for our part in spreading inaccurate news on such a hurtful subject. We just pass on what information comes to us and we always list our sources. Let's hope that Chico is at peace now, and that those of us who cared about him can heal and focus on celebrating his life's contributions. Rest in peace, Chico Banks.

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Odetta Holmes RIP

More sad news from Bob Corritore

Odetta • Midnight Special
Uploaded by justinetime

December 3, 2008

• RIP Odetta 12/31/1930-12/2/2008: It is with great sadness that we write about the passing of Odetta Holmes. Known in the circles of blues, spirituals, and folk, as well as being a beacon for the civil rights movement, Odetta was one of the most memorable musical personalities to emerge from the 1960s. She died of a heart attack on December 2, 2008 after being hospitalized for kidney failure. She was 77. Odetta was born on December 31, 1930, and at age 3, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother where she started singing and playing guitar. She earned a music degree from Los Angeles City College, focusing on musicals and classical, but her real love was the expressiveness of folk songs and spirituals. While working in the West Coast theater circuit, she found her way to the then emerging San Francisco folk scene, where she felt right at home. She made her first record, Odetta Sings Ballads & Blues, of which Bob Dylan stated in a 1978 interview with Playboy, was "The first thing that turned me on to folk singing". She recorded several albums during the 1960s, and became perhaps the most prominent musical voice in the civil rights movement, highlighted by a famous performance of the song "Oh Freedom" at the August 1963 March On Washington. She married three times, with one of her husbands being Louisiana Red, whom she wed in 1977. In recent years, her career was revitalized by her recorded work with Mark Carpentieri's MC Records. She recorded three CDs for MC, which earned her a W.C. Handy Award nomination (now called Blues Music Awards) and two Grammy® nominations. In 1999, Odetta was awarded the National Medal of the Arts and Humanities by President Clinton. In 2003, the Library Of Congress presented her with a Living Legend Award. She was a great musician and a kind and insightful person with a purposefulness to all her actions. God bless Odetta. To see a brief clip of her performing at Newport during the 1960s, click here, and to see a beautiful gospel duet with Tennessee Ernie Ford performing "What A Friend We Have In Jesus", click here.

RIP Alice Mae Burnside, Pat Ramsey, Robert Lucas

• More from Bob Corritore
• RIP Alice Mae Burnside 4/26/1932-11/16/2008: Ben "The Harpman" Cox of the online publication Juke Joint Soul reports that Alice Mae Burnside, the beloved wife of the late R.L. Burnside, passed away Sunday, November 16, 2008. She was a loving mother to 12 children and grandmother to a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services were arranged by the Rodgers Funeral Home and held on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at the Tchulahoma Church in Byhalia, MS. R.L. Burnside recorded the song "Alice Mae" as a tribute to his wife on his 1997 CD Mr. Wizard on the Fat Possum Record Label. To see of photo page of R.L. Burnside, click here.
• RIP Pat Ramsey: Harmonica player Pat Ramsey was best known for his associations with rock and blues-rock artists. He performed and recorded with Johnny Winter and Butch Trucks, and was a major influence on Eclecto Groove recording artist Jason Ricci. He died on November 17, 2008 from complications of Hepatitis C. He was 49. Click here for his complete bio. Thank you, Pat, for bringing blues harmonica to a wider audience.
• RIP Robert Lucas: Blues harpist/guitarist/singer Robert Lucas passed away Sunday November 23, 2008 of a drug overdose. He was 46. Lucas worked in the 80s and early 90s, fronting a California based blues unit called Luke & The Locomotives. He went on to be the frontman in a revised version of Canned Heat, filling the character role of the late Bob "The Bear" Hite. Being a rotund man, he both musically and visually fit the job description. In addition to a number of recordings with Canned Heat, he had seven solo albums. He was a stirring harp player with a great sense of tradition, a great slide guitarist and a hearty vocalist. He will be greatly missed. For more information and a photo of Robert Lucas, click here.

Doris Carr Memorial Arrangements

From Bob Corritore

Doris Carr Memorial Information: This just in from Geni Ward, Sam Carr’s sister: Doris's services will be held at noon on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at the Century Funeral Home in Clarksdale, Mississippi: For further information:
Century Funeral Home

506 Ashton Ave.

Clarksdale, MS 38614

(662) 627-4182

Doris Carr RIP

From Bob Corritore

November 13, 2008
RIP Doris Carr: This sad news just in from Roger Stolle: Mrs. Doris Carr of Lula, Mississippi, passed away early this morning at age 80, according to long-time Carr Family friend and former Rooster Blues co-owner Patty Johnson of Clarksdale. Known by many as the beloved wife of legendary blues drummer Sam Carr, Miss Doris was also a blues singer in her own right and a caretaker of other Deltans in the past. She is survived by her husband, Sam Carr -- the son of slide guitar master Robert Nighthawk and drummer of the world-famous Jelly Roll Kings. Sam and Doris Carr have been together since she was 13 years old. Mrs. Carr had been in poor health for some time. Mr. Carr still resides in Lula. Funeral arrangements are pending with more information forthcoming.

Rudy Ray Moore RIP

Also from the Bob Corritore blues note, the unfortunate passing of Rudy Ray Moore. I remember watching his hilarious movies like Dolemite! However, Moore was also a singer, and one of the first contemporary rappers. If you ever watched a Rudy Ray Moore film, he always talked in rhyme and he had plenty of lovely ladies to look at!

Here is what Bob wrote

• RIP Rudy Ray Moore 3/17/27-10/19/08: Rudy Ray Moore, also known as Dolemite, The Disco Godfather, Petey Wheatstraw, and The Human Tornado, passed away on October 19, 2008. He was 81. Best known as being a XXX-comedian, a blaxsploitation film star, and a precursor of rap, Rudy got his start as a blues recording artist, and made a number of great R&B recordings during the 50s and 60s, which would later be reissued on a wonderful collection on the Norton record label. Though Rudy is hard to classify, he always had one foot in the blues, and his beautiful, brash personality will be deeply missed.

Dee Dee Warwick RIP

I pulled this out of the Bob Corritorie newsletter so that it can have its own post.

RIP Dee Dee Warwick 9/25/1945–10/18/2008: The great soul and gospel singer Dee Dee Warwick passed away on Saturday in a nursing home in New Jersey. She was 63. The sister of Dionne Warwick, Dee Dee was a star in her own right with numerous hits including “I'm Gonna Make You Love Me” which was later covered by Diana Ross & The Supremes. For more information, click here. To see a vintage film clip of Dee Dee Performing “We’re Doing Fine”, click here.

Levi Stubbs RIP

Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops died the other day. Unfortunatly, I am way late in posting this. For his complete obit please check out the LA Times HERE.

Here is a tributeto Levi from Youtube



Here is Levi in his prime! very cool

Earl Palmer RIP

From Bob Corritorie

September 21, 2008

• RIP Earl Palmer 10/25/1924-9/19/2008: Legendary New Orleans drummer Earl Palmer passed away on Friday. He was 83. Earl Palmer was simply one of the greatest drummers of all time. He created a number of distinctive beats and drum accents that became synonymous with the early sound. of Rock 'N Roll. Can you imagine Little Richard's "Keep A-Knockin'" or Fats Domino's "I'm Walkin'" without Earl Palmer's catchy beat? His session credits from both New Orleans and his later home of Los Angeles read like the greatest hits of all music, but his contributions to early Rock 'N Roll are perhaps his most influential. To read the LA Times obituary, which contains a beautifully written biographical overview of Earl Palmer's amazing musical life and achievements, click here. Thank you, Earl Palmer, for the grooves!

Ellery Temple RIP

UPDATE I received an email with a great article about Ellery Temple. Please click on the photos to get a large version that you can read. (Thanks Carrie)

Another great Iowa bluesman has left us this week. Ellery Temple long time musician and member of the Blue Band in the early 90s died of cancer this week. Ellery was a friend of mine, and while he played with the Blue Band I had the opportunity to sit in and play with them. Ellery played not only the piano, but bass guitar, and when Molly would move over to the bass, Ellery picked it up and I would get my opportunity to sit in with my longtime heroes. A few times when Ellery was sick, I would get play the gig for him and pick up some much needed money. (and Bobby pays good:-) After Ellery left the band the opportunity to sit in with the band ended. nothing against Sam Salamone, who is also one of my heroes, but when Sam joined the band he was both the organ player and bass player AT THE SAME TIME! As they say a little bit above my pay grade:-)

Ellery was a great guy, and I know that he had a few problems with the drink years ago, but he also had a knack for straightening himself out. I know that the 6 years he was with the Blue Band were some of the best years I had playing music. Just hanging out with the band and talking music with Ellery and the rest of the band was a great learning experience for me. I will miss you my friend. God Bless!

Unfortuntalty I haven't found a photo of Ellery. There is at least one picture of Ellery with the blue band on their website but nothing of him alone. If anyone has a photo please email it to me.

Nappy Brown RIP

This just in from Bob Corritore.

September 21, 2008

• RIP Nappy Brown 10/12/1929-9/20/2008: The legendary blues shouter Nappy Brown left us Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:30 pm. He was 78. In addition to being blessed with one of the greatest voices the blues has ever known, Nappy was a true character, and his action-packed stage performances were simply amazing. He had experienced a comeback of late after the release of his brilliant 2007 CD Long Time Coming, produced by longtime Nappy friend and advocate Scott Cable for the Blind Pig record label. He was born Napoleon Brown Culp on Oct 12, 1929 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and started his music career singing gospel before switching to Rhythm & Blues in the early 1950s. He landed a contract with Savoy Records in 1954 which yielded numerous hits, including “Don't Be Angry”, “I Cried Like A Baby”, and “Night Time Is The Right Time” (which Ray Charles would cover shortly afterwards). His music career had a resurgence in the 1980s with albums on Alligator, Ichiban, and Black Top. He also made guest appearances on albums by Bob Margolin and Bob Corritore, as well as appearing on the Rhythm Room Blues anthology released on HighTone (Nappy's photo appeared on the cover of that CD). His powerhouse performance last May at the 2008 Blues Music Awards ceremony was the highlight of that event. Shortly after that, Nappy was hospitalized; and never was able to get his health back. Information regarding his services (forthcoming on Saturday, September 27, 2008) will be posted as it comes in. Bob Corritore will play a number of sets of Nappy's unforgettable music throughout the course of his 5 hour show tonight; listeners may hear Those Lowdown Blues, anywhere in the world (real time Sunday nights from 6pm-11pm Phoenix time) via web streaming by clicking here, or on KJZZ in Phoenix at 91.5 FM in Phoenix, Arizona, 89.5 in Cottonwood, 98.9 in Tucson, and 99.1 in Kingman. Rest in peace, Nappy.

UPDATE

From Bob Corritore

September 22, 2008

• Nappy Brown Funeral Information: Arrangements have been made for Nappy Brown’s funeral. The viewing will be 1pm-1:30pm on Saturday, September 27, 2008, with services to follow. Both the viewing and the service will be held at:

St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church

1401 Allen St.

Charlotte, NC 28205

Tel: (704)334-5309

Fax: (704)376-0072

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Norman Whitfield RIP

This is also from the Bob Corritore blues news email.

• RIP Historic Motown Composer Norman Whitfield 5/12/40-9/16/08: Norman Whitfield is best known for his string of hit compositions performed by Motown Artists. Among some his most memorable songs are "Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", "War:, "Car Wash", "Just My Imagination", "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby", "Ball Of Confusion", and many others. He often co-wrote with Barrett Strong, and that collaboration created Whitfield two Grammy® winning songs. Norman Whitfield was 67. To see the CNN Story, click here. To see a video of Marvin Gaye doing an a cappella version of "Heard It Through The Grapevine", click here, or with accompaniment, click here. Thank you, Norman. Your beautiful songs will live on forever.

Ed Eaves RIP

Another great Iowa blues bassist has left us way to early. Ed Eaves who played with many people, but is mostly remembered as playing with Brian "TAZ" Grant, and Dale "Saxman" Jones, has died at the age of 52. He suffered a stroke a couple of days ago and never recovered. I was lucky to have met and jammed with Ed a few times. He was a great guy. He and the late Jimmy Smith were one of the first Des Moines blues players that I had the opportunity to play with when I first moved back home in 1991. Taz was late for a gig at the old Kapplan Hat company and Ed found out I played piano. So he and Jimmy had me play for about a half hour until Taz could make it. Jimmy and Ed were quite the combo so it was pretty scary playing with them, but they made it fun.

Update Special thanks to Barbra who sent me a photo of Ed.

Update 2 Services have changed for Ed's Sunday Service from Bethel AME to Union Missionary Baptist 1348 McCormick (off east 14th & University).

Memorial service arrangements Sunday, Sept. 14 from 5-8 p.m. at Bethel A.M.E. Church and Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 11 a.m. at Cornerstone Family Church.

Cannon Mortuary is handling arrangements ‹ 515- 244-5253.

He died Sept. 8 at Mercy Medical Center. He was 52.

Rick Cicalo RIP

Sad news from eastern Iowa. If you read Bob Dorr's blue note a couple of days ago he told of news that Rick Cicalo the legendary bass player for Patrick Hazel, and many other eastern Iowa blues bands was gravely ill. Unfortunately he passed away this weekend. The following story is from the Cedar Rapids Gazette, it tells the story of Rick far better than I can. Not only was he an outstanding musician, but he was also a public servant that loved his city of Washington, Iowa. He was a class act, and I was lucky to have met him a few times over the last few years. Rick was in both the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame, and the Iowa Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. He will be sorely missed.

UPDATE

The Des Moines Register has memorial service information for Rick

RICHARD CICALO

Washington

Richard Cicalo died September 7. Celebration of life services will be 10:30 a.m. September 11, at United Presbyterian Church in Washington. Visitation is at 12 p.m. Wednesday at the Jones - Eden Funeral Home.

Washington mayor dies

By Steve Gravelle The Gazette steve.gravelle@gazettecommunications.com

Richard Cicalo

Eastern Iowa music fans stunned by the sudden death of bassist Rick Cicalo might be surprised to learn he was a mayor, too. "We're going to miss him dearly," Washington, Iowa, City Council member Merle Hagie said last night. "Music and (being) mayor was his life." Cicalo, 54, died Sunday at his home. Hagie said Cicalo had recently been diagnosed with cancer. "We found out about a week ago he was very sick," said Hagie. Cicalo, who played bass with such Iowa notables as Bo Ramsey, Greg Brown, and Big Wooden Radio, was elected to his first term in November 2005. "I thought he was doing an excellent job," said Hagie. "He was a young man, he was doing a very good job." During his shortened tenure, Cicalo was an advocate for downtown improvements and the city's library. Cicalo was also a supporter of PAWS & More, Washington County's non-profit animal shelter. After noticing it had fallen into disrepair, Cicalo launched an effort to refurbish the grave of Ola Babcock Miller, the Washington native who began what became the Iowa State Patrol while she was the state's secretary of state in 1933. The gravesite was renewed, and a dedication held in August 2006. "He was promoting Washington as much as humanly possible," said Hagie. City Council member Sandra Johnson, the mayor pro tempore, will take over take over the mayor's post for the balance of Cicalo's term or until a special election is held, Hagie said.