In The News

Musician who was the last link to founders of the blues passes away

Musician who was the last link to founders of the blues passes away

THE DEATH has taken place of the musician David “Honeyboy” Edwards who as a boy performed with many of the founders of blues music in the Mississippi Delta. He was 96.

The grandson of a slave, Mr. Edwards had picked cotton on Mississippi plantations at the age of nine. He was 12 when he first got his hands on a guitar, but by 14 he was working as a musician and playing with the likes of Sonny Boy Williamson, Son House, Charlie Patton and Robert Johnson.

He travelled across the American South to find gigs an experience which he later recalled involved numerous arrests on trumped-up charges and spells in jail for vagrancy. 

By the mid-1950s he had joined the migration of blues men to Chicago where he would perform at night and by day survive in a series of tough jobs in factories and building sites.

He recorded songs during this time but his initial fame never reached that attained by his blues contemporaries including Willie Dixon and Muddy Watters. 

But by the 1960s he was performing around the world.

His most famous songs included Just Like Jesse James, Long Tall Woman Blues and Gamblin’ Man (see below).

He performed his final concerts in April.

Among those to pay tribute to Mr. Edwards was Bruce Iglauer of the blues label Alligator Records.

He said: “Honeyboy was one of the very last links to the real world of the Delta blues, a crucial world in the development of American popular music. He was a truth teller.”

Mr. Edwards won a Grammy Award in 2007 for best traditional blues album with Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas.

He was awarded another Grammy in 2010 for lifetime achievement.

A statement on Mr. Edwards’s website said “He lived a long, full life, and he felt at peace. He loved to say: ‘The world don’t owe me nothing’.”

To see David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards perform Gamlin' Man click here.

 

View previous In the News items: Former top snooker referee Len Ganley passes away, Former teaching union chief passes away, Industrialist who embraced green values passes away, Tragic friends are laid to rest, Director and producer of top TV comedy shows passes away, Songwriter described as the poet laureate of rock and roll passes away, TV actor Noel Collins passes away, Grieving mother who launched a national campaign passes away, Statistician whose work helped save millions of lives passes away, Inventor of the robot arm George C Devol passes away, Singer and songwriter Gene McDaniels passes away, Funeral takes place of veteran journalist James Kelly, Broadcaster Robert Robinson passes away, Peacemaker Harri Holkeri passes away, Former TV cook and radio executive passes away, Actor Francesco Quinn passes away, World War II secret agent passes away, Film special effects artist Harry Redmond passes away, Civil rights lawyer who battled segregation passes away, Film star and former sportsman Bubba Smith passes away, Actor Richard Pearson passes away, The writer Stan Barstow passes away, Headstone unveiled to first victim of the Titanic, Slight fall recorded in the death rate in Northern Ireland, Songwriter behind some of the Jackson 5 hits passes away, Tributes are paid to the evangelist John Stott, Founder member of rock band America passes away, Film actress Linda Christian passes away, Scientist who supported the use of cryonics passes away, Music world is left stunned by death of Amy Winehouse, Top toy maker passes away, Tributes are paid to the artist Lucian Freud, Remains of former senior Nazi are exhumed, Graphic designer responsible for first record covers passes away, Songwriter Jerry Ragovoy passes away, Actress Googie Withers passes away, Tributes are paid to jazz singer Ottilie Patterson, Veteran Downtown Radio presenter passes away, Brady Bunch creator Sherwood Schwartz passes away, Tributes are paid to golf commentator Alex Hay, First cousin of the Queen passes away, Rock guitarist Wurzel Burston passes away, Former US first lady passes away, Popular romantic novelist passes away, Tributes are paid to Canadian actor Gordon Tootoosis or Lasting tribute is unveiled to Yorkshire comedian

 

If you have a relative or a friend who has passed away and feel they should be mentioned in our In the News section, then please email us.