[Harp-L] St. Louis's Arthur Williams

[Howard Young <blues_harp68@xxxxxxxxx>]

I don't know how many of you in the blues harp community are familiar
with the St. Louis blues harp player Arthur Williams, but here is an
interesting story of what just transpired here in St. Louis regarding
his death and resurection.  (the following has been cleaned up a bit)

>
> Ok...now you won't believe this, but (thank the Good Lord!!!) Arthur 
> Williams is very much alive and well and will be at the ABHF and
Ground 
> Zero on Saturday, Oct 8. I know...I've been drinking with him all
night 
> (ha ha). The reports of his untimely demise were completely mistaken,
but 
> believed by his entire family and yours truly.
>
> Here's what apparently happened in a nutshell. Arthur had recently
moved 
> to a senior citizen's apartment complex. Apparently, somebody at the 
> complex had the apartment assignments screwed up. One of the
residents 
> apparently died, and they mistakenly believed it was Arthur. The
complex 
> called Arthur's family to inform them that he had passed away. They
were 
> sure it was Arthur. At that point, one of Arthur's sons called me
crying 
> shortly after 6 pm to give me the bad news. He asked me to call
Arthur's 
> ex-wife to confirm funeral arrangements, etc and asked me to inform
all 
> Arthur's friends and musical associates. I contacted Arthur's
ex-wife, who 
> informed me that yes, Arthur had indeed passed away and that she
would 
> advise me as to the funeral arrangements.
>
> I left a message for John May, head of the St.Louis Blues Society, at
BB's 
> Jazz Blues & Soups in St. Louis (the main blues club here in St.
Louis)to 
> give him the bad news and to ask whether he would help me get the sad
word 
> out. I also e-mailed (and personally called) Jerry at the ABHF and
Roger 
> Stolle at Ground Zero with the bad news. The blues community was in 
> serious mourning here, as Arthur is much loved and respected. John
and I 
> called everybody and e-mailed the world with the bad news.
>
> While myself and others were shedding massive tears, consoling each
other, 
> and reminiscing with wild Arthur stories by phone for the next
several 
> hours (and believe me, there are plenty), John May calls me around 11
pm 
> and says, "Guess what? Either reports of Arthur's demise are greatly 
> exaggerated, or I'm having a drink with Arthur's ghost!!!" I had him
put 
> Arthur on the phone. Yes, the King of the Delta Blues Harp was still
very 
> much with us and full of piss and vinegar. Apparently, Arthur was
greatly 
> amused when he walked into BB's and everybody fell into a state of
shock 
> and ran up to him and huggged him. He had no idea that he had been 
> reported as dead. The band on the stage had been doing a somber
Arthur 
> Williams tribute and basically fell out in a state of shock when
Arthur 
> came up to the stage to sit in. Arthur then immediately called his
family, 
> and shortly thereafter, his sons, daughter and grandchildren poured
into 
> the club with tears streaming down their faces. They were convinced
he was 
> dead and had been preparing his funeral arrangements. Arthur played
the 
> rest of the night, and it became a giant party. Later, Arthur told 
> me..."Bob Lohr, you could've called my cellphone and I would've told
you I 
> wasn't dead, m***********r... in fact I was "entertaining" (sanitized

> version) my new girlfriend while you m***********s were burying me. 
> Besides, I'm playin' the Biscuit this weekend and I need the
money...no 
> way am I gonna die before that. Now go get the Dead Man a shot of
Jack 
> Black..."
>
> All true....I'm not making any of this up, folks. Make sure you see
Arthur 
> at the Biscuit (a/k/a ABHF) this Saturday at 5:30, then at Ground
Zero 
> from 9-1. It's gonna be a serious party.
>
> Bob Lohr



		
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