Back on the Chicago Blues 70th Birthday Bash Beat
Friends and associates of Chicago blues great Otis Rush came in from around the country to Legends in the Windy City on May 11 to pay tribute to him on the occasion of his 70th birthday. (His birthday was April 29; he insists the 1934 date in most sources is wrong, and research has revealed that his actual birthplace is near Neshoba MS, not Philadelphia MS.) Otis’ adviser Rick Bates and Chicago bluesman Carlos Johnson pulled together a stellar evening of serious, ego-free and frequently inspired performances backed by a rotating crew mostly from various veterans of the Rush band.
The city promoted the evening as an official Pre-Blues Festival event and Fest Coordinator Barry Dolins read a proclamation from the Mayor designating the day as Otis Rush Day in Chicago. A number of the artists did Otis’s material in his honor. The list of performers and distinguished audience members is too long to list completely, but those fronting the band during two superb guitar-intensive sets included Carlos Johnson, Lurrie Bell, Shun Kikuta, Jimmy Johnson, Jody Williams (who told Otis that their past differences about who got what from who are “history;” here’s hoping!!!), Billy Boy Arnold, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Lonnie Brooks, Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater, Legends proprietor Buddy Guy, Carl Weathersby (a highlight even after he’d broken his top two strings), Otis Clay (who laid claim to being “the biggest Otis Rush fan here” before singing a snatch of “My Love Will Never Die”), Syl Johnson, Nellie Travis, Vino Louden, Lindsey Alexander, Phil Guy, Chico Banks, Sharon Lewis and Billy Branch. Carlos Santana sent flowers in lieu of attending.
Otis, still recuperating following his February 2004 stroke, felt the love with obvious pleasure from his perch in the VIP section at stage left. His brief remarks from his seat late in the proceedings were heartfelt and moving, but his condition made it clear that it will take prayer and a lot of other things for him to return to performing. Everyone was glad he was able to be on hand to receive the musical and spoken appreciation, and hope remains, along with Otis’s prodigious legacy. A couple of labels have plans to release live material from the archives.
Meanwhile, the lucky crowd, who turned out early and prolifically, got to hear high quality Chicago blues from as rich a lineup for a club event as we’ve seen in awhile. Definitely a highlight of the year so far. Let’s hope Otis celebrates many more birthdays, ideally from the bandstand, but a blessing through his continued presence either way.
Dick Shurman
Dick Shurman is an independent producer, journalist and world-renown blues authority. He was the winner of the 2005 Keeping the Blues Alive award as a producer.
Veteran Bluesman Sam Myers Ill
Sam Myers, the lead singer and harp player with Anson Funderburg & the Rockets has been diagnosed with throat cancer and all performances have been cancelled until September. Fortunately, it was caught early and the prognosis for a full recovery is good, with tentative plans for gigs come fall. Myers and Funderburgh have partnered since 1986 when the Texas guitarist drove to Mississippi to bring the Delta bluesman back to the Lone Star State to form a band. Finding a replacement for Myers during this period of time was considered but rejected, as Funderburgh wants to be with his friend throughout his convalescent to help out in any way possible. The prayers and best wishes from blues fans around the world is requested and deeply appreciated.
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