Four Blues Musicians Pass Away

The Blues Foundation is reporting the passing of four veteran blues musicians.


Phil Guy, younger brother of Buddy Guy, passed away in Chicago today at the age of 68. He had been battling kidney and liver cancer. Guy spent over a decade playing with harpist Raful Neal before moving to Chicago where he performed with his brother, Junior Wells and Jimmy Dawkins. He also recorded six solo albums for JSP between 1983 and 2000.

Chicago harmonica player Little Arthur Duncan passed away Wednesday morning at the age of 74. Duncan was born in Indianola, MS in 1934 and grew up on the same plantation as B.B. King. He moved to Chicago in the mid-50's, where he became friends with Little Walter and took up the harmonica. While holding down side jobs, he played with the likes of Earl Hooker around the Windy City scene and owned a club where he could showcase his music and the performances of others.

Singer/guitarist Alex "Lil' Bill" Wallace passed away last Sunday in Greenville, MS at the age of 83. Wallace learned modern guitar styles from T-Bone Walker. He would later pass the style on to Little Milton, Smokey Wilson and a young B.B. King who it is said to have convinced to change from gospel to blues music.

Singer/guitarist Hosea Leavy passed away last Monday from liver failure at the age of 80. Leavy cut his musical teeth in Arkansas before moving west in the 60's. His combo was the backing band on his brother Calvin Leavy's 1968 top 40 R&B hit Cummings Prison Farm. This lead to Leavy recording further sides with his brother and as a solo artist and, in 1998, his only solo album, You Gotta Move, was released on Fedora Records.

SOURCE: http://winkscollectibles.blogspot.com