[Harp-L] Carey Bell Obituary

["James Budnicki" <Harmoniman@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi J.B., 

This is a copy of a email I received from radio presenter UK Bob from Atlanta which I'm going to post up on this site. 
Thank you for getting in touch and taking the time and trouble to inform me. 

Regards, 
John 


May 7, 2007 

Blues Harmonica Master Carey Bell Passes (November 14, 1936 to May 6, 2007): It is with great sadness that we pass on the news that blues harmonica master Carey Bell died of heart failure last night at 9:30pm at Kindred Hospital in Chicago. He was 70 years old. Carey had been hospitalized three weeks ago in a diabetic coma. The doctors were able to revive him and get his vital signs to a pretty good place, but they found many other health problems, and had told Bob and Susan Koester that Carey was not likely to leave the facility. This news comes at a time of great loss for the blues, as so many of the masters of this genre are leaving us. Our thoughts and prayers are with Carey's son Lurrie, who also recently lost his wife, Susan Greenberg. 
Born in Macon, Mississippi in 1936, Carey Bell learned harmonica at early age. He would move to Chicago to stay with his godfather, pianist Lovie Lee. While in Chicago, he befriended both Little Walter and Big Walter Horton who became major influences in his style. He worked in the bands of Johnny Young, Honeyboy Edwards, Earl Hooker, Willie Dixon, and Muddy Waters early on in his Chicago career. Carey's 1969 debut album, Blues Harp on Delmark Records showed him to be a brilliant singer and harmonica player with a unique mastery of the chromatic harmonica. This album elevated Carey beyond sideman status to that of a band leader, Three years later he was featured on the Alligator release Big Walter Horton with Carey Bell, which cemented his stature as one of the windy city's top harmonica men. Carey would go on to record albums on other labels such as JSP, Blind Pig, ABC Bluesway, and Rooster Blues. He also made great recordings as a cherished sideman with the greatest of Chicago Blues artists including Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Eddie Clearwater, Eddie Taylor, Sunnyland Slim, Louisiana Red, Earl Hooker, Robert Nighthawk, Eddie C. Campbell, W.W. Williams, Little Mack Simmons, Big Walter Horton, Lovie Lee, Johnny Littlejohn, Bob Margolin, Jimmy Rogers, Bob Riedy, Buster Benton, and others. Carey also was a part of historic gathering called Harp Attack on Alligator Records, which put Carey together with fellow Chicago blues harp masters Junior Wells, James Cotton, and Billy Branch. Carey and his son Lurrie had just released a magnificent CD and DVD on Delmark Records called Gettin' Up, which will stand as the final work of his brilliant career. We will miss Carey Bell and the great joy that his warm personality and his live performances gave us. His legacy is secure as a master of Chicago blues and his stunning recordings will live on forever as definitive works. Funeral information shall be forthcoming. 



UKBOB 

Producer~Presenter 



ATLANTA