The New Orleans R&B circuit lost a legend on February 18, 2009 when “Snooks” Fird Eaglin Jr. passed away from an apparent heart attack. His distinct guitar style ranged from a wide range of the Blues, Rock & Roll, Jazz, Country and even Latin and his singing style reminded some of Ray Charles.
Known as Blind “Snooks” Eaglin, he had the ability to play a wide array of songs and his ability to make tunes his own earned him the nickname the “Human Jukebox.” Eaglin claimed that his repertoire included over 2,500 songs and at his live shows, he did not prepare a set list, instead choosing to select songs that popped into his head at the time and taking audience requests.
Eaglin lost his sight shortly after his first birthday and was sickly as a child, spending years in and out of the hospital with a variety of illnesses. When he was five years old, his father gave his young son a guitar, which Eaglin quickly mastered; teaching himself to play by listening to the radio. His nickname ‘Snooks” is borrowed from an old-time radio character, the mischief-making Bobby Snooks.
At the age of eleven, Eaglin won a local radio talent contest, playing the “Twelfth Street Rag.” He dropped out of the school for the blind three years later to become a professional musician. He joined the Allen Toussaint-led Flamingoes in 1952, often playing both guitar and bass parts at the same time since the band had no bass player. He stayed with the group until they disbanded in the mid 1950’s.
For a musician with such a legendary career, his recordings and concerts were, to say the least, inconsistent. Eaglin played the clubs with Sugar Boy Crawford, Allen Toussaint and Dave Bartholomew and he recorded some country blues on Folkways in 1958. In the 1960’s Eaglin backed up Professor Longhair and recorded solo material on Imperial with Bartholomew producing.
After his Imperial sessions, Eaglin recorded alone at his home in 1964 for the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation and for the rest of the 1960’s he did no more recordings. He worked for another Swedish label Sonet in 1971 and his “Down Yonder” album was released in 1978. Eaglin also played guitar on the Wild Magnolia’s first record in 1973.
However, his best years were in the 1980’s when he signed with Black Top Records and between 1987 and 1999, Eaglin released four studio albums, a live album and appeared as a guest on albums by Henry Butler, Earl King and Tommy Ridgley.
Although in his later years Eaglin did not play many live shows, he was a staple at the Rock N’ Bowl in New Orleans and the New Orleans Jazz Fest. Rock and roll and specifically Louisiana will sincerely miss this legend and the “Human Jukebox.”
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