March 22, 2011

Blues Legend Pinetop Perkins dies at 97

Pinetop Perkins, one of the last old school Bluesmen from Belzoni Mississippi, died peacefully in his sleep last night. He had played the blues since the 20's, starting out on guitar but later turning to the piano after having been stabbed in the arm by a crazy damn woman.

He's probably best known for holding down the piano bench in Muddy Waters band for 12 years and he became the oldest man to win a Grammy just this past February for his work "Joined At The Hip" with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith for Best Traditional Blues CD.

Apparently Pinetop was about one of the nicest fella's you could come across. Not too surprising since Mississippians are usually very gracious folks if i may say so myself. The one thing that does really irritate me about Pinetop is that he smoked till the day he died. I'm trying to quit and i'm trying not to hurt anybody while i do it. Maybe that's why that woman stabbed Pinetop in the arm. She was probably trying to quit smoking and lost control. Boy would i love a smoke.

Well, there aren't many original Missisippi bluesman left. Makes me sad but boy am i thankful for him and his fellow blues players for giving us such amazing music that will surely be treasured forever. Pinetop will be layed to rest in Clarksdale Mississippi. Goodbye Pinetop.




Muddy Waters with Hollywood Fats 1973-09-25 door checker758

3 comments:

e.f. bartlam said...

I'll be ***ed.

This is the first I've heard of it. I've been in a car all day.

Sad...there ain't gonna be anybody left before too long.

Shelley Rickey said...

Hi E.F.
Yep, sad isn't it?
We don't have many left do we.
I hope BB hangs on for another 100 years!
Hope everything is good in Jackson.
I bet you it's a hell of a lot warmer than here.
Freezing my ass off in Holland. : )

e.f. bartlam said...

He'll never die.

It's lovely...teasin' 80 everyday and the dogwoods have bloomed and the azaleas are starting to peek out.

You stay warm now.