Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Dad Page-- "Queen of the Blues"

KOKO TAYLOR 1928-2009

Chicago's legendary "Queen of the Blues"

This one made the front page of the June 4th Chicago Tribune.

Died at age 80, four weeks after her last live performance at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis. Her signature hits were "Wang Dang Doodle," "I'm a Woman," and "Hey Bartender."

Born Cora Watson on a sharecropper's farm outside of Memphis in 1928, she and her brothers slept on pallets in a shack with no running water or electricity. She moved to Chicago in the 1950s. She had sung gospel music back in Tennessee and on the weekends would go to the Chicago Blues Clubs and began singing.

Willie Dixon got her to sing his "Wang Dang Doodle" in 1965, and this launched her career.

From June 4th Chicago Tribune.

One of my favorite artists. I was fortunate to see her in concert once and she wore me out up on that stage.

I have three CDs by her: Royal Blue, Force of nature, and What it Takes.

Three LPs: From the Heart of a Woman, The Earthshaker, and Live from Chicago.

Two cassettes: Koko Taylor and Jump for Joy.

I know that Tom Marker on WXRT's Bluebreakers plays one song of hers each Monday on his show.

Guess I Liked Her Music.

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