As we celebrate the New Year we remember our fallen hero's And the ones who made music through both the good and bad times. On these days we lost our friends, but their music stays alive I tried to limit this list to the last five years:
Johnny Adams September 15th, 1998
The ''tan canary'' had a sweet soulful voice that was extremely expressive. He performed mostly in a big band setting and was the toast of New Orleans: ''Body and Fender Man'', ''Room With A View'' ,''The Real Me'', ''Even Now''
Luther Allison August 12, 1997
Luther was the complete blues performer: ''Red Cherry Wine'', "Soul Fixin' Man", "Back Down South"
Charles Brown January 21st, 1999
Sophisticated piano blues, smoke filled lounges and Clifford Solomon's sax: "Drifting Blues", "These Blues", "May I Never Love Again"
John Campbell June 13th, 1996
Dark and moody usually: "dealing with the devil", "When The Levee Breaks", "Down In The Hole", "Saddle Up My Pony"
William Clarke November 3rd, 1996
At the time of his death considered one of the the best harp players around: "Lollipop Mama", "Must Be Jelly", "Daddy Pinnochiov"
Johnny Copeland July 3rd, 1997
A great bluesman who gave us great music and Shemekia: "Late Hours", "Down On Bending Knees", "Just One More Time"
Jerry Garcia August 9, 1995
He left us much too soon but we certainly did get to know and love him: "Morning Dew", "Dupree's Diamond Blues", "Cumberland Blues"
John Lee Hooker June 21st, 2001
He was a living legend and will be greatly missed:"Boom Boom", "Boogie Chillen'", "Dimples"
Doug Sahm November 18, 1999
The first hippie in Texas
"Mendocino", "She's About A Mover", "Sheila Tequila"
Johnnie Taylor May 31st, 2000
A real soul man: "Disco Lady", "Who's Makin' Love", "Gotta Get The Grove Back"
Katie Webster September 5th, 1999
Paved the way for performers like Marcia Ball
"Two-Fisted Mama", "Stood Up Again", "Red Negligee"
Junior Wells January 15th, 1998
Half of the original blues brothers, a great singer and harp player, He helped set the standard for blues based partnerships "Little By Little", "Messin' With The Kid", "Bad, Bad Whiskey"
by Richard Ludmerer