Koko Taylor – Goodbye To The Queen

Chess and Alligator recording artist Koko Taylor, the legendary “Queen of the Blues”, passed away Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at the age of 80. Winner of more Blues Music Awards than any other blues performer in history, her last performance was May 7, 2009 at the Blues Music Awards presentation ceremonies after receiving the Traditional Blues Artist of the Year Award for 2008.

Check out videos of Koko doing her thing here:

http://rootsrocknblues.us/videos/kokotaylor

“Koko Taylor is the great female blues singer of her generation. Raw vocal power and blustery swagger.”
– Rolling Stone

“Koko Taylor is a national treasure…she packs firepower a lot of youngsters only wish they had.”
– Chicago Tribune

“Koko Taylor is the blues…a growling goddess of down-and-dirty. Sheer, unstoppable shouting power, full steam ahead and damn the torpedoes. There are many kings of the blues but only one queen. Koko’s voice is capable of pinning a listener to the back wall.”
– Boston Globe

“Raucous, gritty, good-time blues…Taylor belts out blues in a gravel voice with ferocious intensity. Foot-stomping music that’s rough, raw and wonderfully upbeat.”
– People

“Chicago’s best blues singer…she has fire in her lungs.”
–Chicago Sun-Times

Amen.

Roots, Rock ‘n Blues

Bo Diddley Dead At 79

Photo by Jeff Christensen/Associated Press

That Great Rock Band in the Sky has another member. The New York Times reports that Bo Diddley passed away at his home in Florida today. Read the full story here:

NY Time Bo Diddley obituary

I’ve added a video tribute to Bo on the Video Page.

Here are more tributes from around the web:

Rock pioneer Bo Diddley dead at 79 – (CNN) — Rock and roll pioneer Bo Diddley, whose signature beat laid the foundation for tunes for decades to come, died Monday at age 79 at his home in Archer, Florida, his family said. Diddley was a contemporary of Chuck Berry, …

Bo Diddley dies at 79 – Legendary guitarist Bo Diddley has died. Born Ellas Otha Bates in McComb, Mississippi, Diddley grew up to create and define a unique style and became a “founding father of rock ‘n’ roll,” according to the Associated Press. …

Bo Diddley Dies At 79 – Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock ‘n’ roll, died Monday after months of ill health.

Blues/Rock Legend Bo Diddley Dies. Below is A Tribute To Bo – Bo Diddley Was a great musician, Its weird because Ive Met Bo on several occasions we both lived in Gainesville Florida, His music inspired so many in Rock and Roll, its just a shame that it takes his death to finally get the credit he …

John Sawyer

Sean Costello April 16, 1979 – April 15, 2008

We’ve lost another one, folks. No details seem to be available beyond the fact that Sean Costello was found dead in his hotel in Atlanta last night. There’s a very small “Rest in Peace” graphic above Sean’s picture on the Piedmont Talent web site, but nothing on the rest of the sites yet. I’m sure there will be once more is known, but that’s not really important.

I can’t claim to have heard a lot of Sean’s work, but what I have heard I liked. He was a very fine guitar player and singer. Fortunately, he’s left recordings behind, but as we all know, recordings are never quite the same as the real live deal.

Get out and see your favorites, y’all. You never know when you’ll get another chance.

I’ve added Sean to the Videos page. Lots of good stuff there.

http://www.seancostello.com/
http://www.myspace.com/seancostello
http://www.piedmonttalent.com/
http://www.deltagrooveproductions.com/

Jeff Healey – March 25, 1966 – March 2, 2008

I just got word that Jeff Healey has left this world. He was an amazing talent and watching him play his guitar with that unique style of his just blew me away. I’ve put up a video tribute site which you can reach via the link on the Videos page of this blog.

Details and an obituary are on his web site: http://JeffHealey.com

Buddy Miles 1947-2008

Legendary Drummer Buddy Miles passed away peacefully at his home in Austin, TX on Tuesday, February 26th. He was 60 years of age. He suffered from congestive heart failure but the official cause of death is not yet known.

Buddy performed with some of the greatest names in music including Stevie Wonder, Muddy Waters, Michael Bloomfield, Wilson Pickett, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, David Crosby, Jack Bruce, Eric Burden, Peter Tork, Billy Gibbons, Prince, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmy Vaughan, Rick James, Kool and the Gang, Jr. Brown, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, Junior Wells, Koko Taylor, Johnny Taylor, Barry White, Aretha Franklin, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Carlos Santana, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Billy Cox, and David Bowie among others.

Buddy Miles recorded over 70 albums and performed in numerous world tours, television commercials and videos. He is best known for his work with Jimi Hendrix and bass player Billy Cox as Band of Gypsys.

Band of Gypsys recorded one album aptly titled “Band of Gypsys” in 1970 at Fillmore East in New York. Two of the songs on the album (“We Gotta Live Together” and “Changes”) were written by Miles.

In lieu of flowers; the family has asked for donations to the Jazz Foundation of America in Buddy Miles’ name specifically to assist other musicians with funeral and related expenses:

www.jazzfoundation.org
The Jazz Foundation of America
322 West 48th Street
New York, NY, 10036
Attn.: Amy Cusma