2016 Tributes

As most music fans are well aware, 2016 saw the deaths of numerous musicians in numerous genres.  Artists like David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Jefferson Airplane's Paul Kantner, Earth, Wind & Fire founder (and former Chess Records drummer) Maurice White, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake, & Palmer, Prince, Merle Haggard, Ralph Stanley, Parliament/Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell, Bobby Vee, Leonard Cohen, and George Michael all died in 2016, a stunning number of major and influential musicians.

2016 also saw a large number of blues artists breathe their last, some major stars among them, and some you may not have known.  This week Friday Blues Fix pays tribute to a few......

Long John Hunter (7/13/1931 - 1/4/2016) - Texas blues singer/guitarist

Otis Clay (2/11/1942 - 1/8/2016) - Soul/blues legend

Jerry Beach (12/11/1941 - 1/10/2016) - Shreveport guitarist and songwriter ("I'll Play the Blues For You")

L.C. Ulmer (8/28/1928 - 2/14/2016) - Central Mississippi singer/guitarist

Elmo Williams (2/6/1933 - 2/16/2016) - Natchez, MS-based singer/guitarist

Clarence Lewis, Jr. (8/20/1934 - 2/26/2016) - Alabama-based singer/songwriter (co-wrote "Ya Ya," "Fannie Mae," "The Sky Is Crying"), also known as C.L. Blast

Aron Burton (6/15/1938 - 2/29/2016) - Chicago bass player/bandleader

David Egan (3/20/1954 - 3/18/2016) - Louisiana-based singer/songwriter/keyboardist ("First You Cry," "Even Now," "Wake Up Call")



















Boo Hanks (4/30/1928 - 4/15/2016) - North Carolina blues man

Lonnie Mack (7/18/1941 - 4/21/2016) - legendary guitarist/singer

Harrison Calloway (11/6/1940 - 4/30/2016) - founding member of Muscle Shoals Horns/arranger for Malaco Records

Charlie Fite (1930 - 5/3/2016) - Nashville-based R&B singer (Frank Howard & the Commanders)

Candye Kane (11/13/1961 - 5/6/2016) - Blues singer/entertainer

Chips Moman (6/14/1937 - 6/13/2016) - legendary Memphis producer/songwriter (co-wrote "Dark End of the Street," "Do Right Woman-Do Right Man")

Bill Ham (2/4/1937 - 6/20/2016) - Music impressario, manager/producer for ZZ Top

Wayne Jackson (11/24/1941 - 6/21/2016) - Memphis trumpet player (Memphis Horns, Mar-Keys, Robert Cray)

Sir Mack Rice (11/10/1933 - 6/27/2016) - singer/songwriter ("Cheaper To Keep Her," "Respect Yourself," "Mustang Sally")

Scotty Moore (12/27/1931 - 6/28/2016) - influential guitarist (Elvis Presley)

L.T. McGee (7/7/1945 - 6/29/2016) - Chicago singer (the Homewreckers)

Jesse Yawn (9/4/1937 - 7/5/2016) - blues/R&B singer

Leo Graham (12/5/1941 - 8/5/2016) - Chicago-based producer/songwriter ("Turning Point" and "So Good (To Be Home With You)" for Tyrone Davis, "Shining Star" for the Manhattans)

Ruby Wilson (2/29/1948 - 8/12/2016) - Memphis singer, "The Queen of Beale Street"

Preston Hubbard (3/15/1953 - 8/17/2016) - bass player (Roomful of Blues, Fabulous Thunderbirds)

Clifford Curry (11/3/1936 - 9/7/2016) - Nashville blues/R&B singer ("She Shot a Hole in My Soul")

Buckwheat Zydeco (11/14/1947 - 9/24/2016) - Zydeco legend

Leon Russell (4/2/1942 - 11/13/2016) - singer/songwriter/keyboardist/producer (Freddie King's Shelter Recordings)

Bob Walsh (1948 - 11/15/2016) - Quebec-based singer/guitarist/songwriter

Mose Allison (11/11/1927 - 11/15/2016) - blues/jazz singer/pianist/songwriter

Sharon Jones (5/4/1956 - 11/18/2016) - NY-based funk/soul singer (Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings)

Barrelhouse Chuck (7/10/1958 - 12/12/2016) - Chicago singer/keyboardist/songwriter

Sven Zetterberg (1952 - 12/18/2016) - One of Sweden's most celebrated blues artists