Thursday, June 04, 2009

The Queen is Dead. Long Live the Queen


I am greatly saddened with the passing of Koko Taylor, the "Queen of Blues". I thought of her as inseparable from the vibrant Chicago blues scene. Other blues artists roam the world without a hometown, but Koko and Chicago were one and the same. I never did see her perform - I kept hoping that with my son going off to school in Chicago next fall that I could catch her when I went out to visit, but that will never happen. Her last album, "Old School" came out in 2007 and at 78, she still was powerful and aggressive with an in-your-face style. You'd think she would sing forever. She certainly won't be in heaven singing in a choir of angels, but will be over in some small smoky corner doing it her own funky way. God bless.

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