Bluesman Son Seals Dies 12/20/2004

[TimmyB]

May you rest in peace Son Seals.

I've been to several blues festivals and concerts in my day though I never Son Seals at any of those.

Luckily I did get get to see Seals with Phish in 1999 at Oswego (As I'm sure many more people here did as well).

from www.billboard.com

Edited By Jonathan Cohen. December 21, 2004, 3:30 PM ET

Bluesman Son Seals Dies

Noted blues guitarist Son Seals died yesterday (Dec. 20) in Chicago of complications from diabetes. He was 62.

Born Frank Seals in Osceola, Ark., he started his musical career by mastering the drums by his early teens, taking over guitar and leading his own band before reaching his 20s. Moving to Chicago in 1971, Seals played regular gigs on the city's South Side with such legendary artists as Junior Wells and Buddy Guy.

Seals made his recording debut in 1973 with the "The Son Seals Blues Band," released by Alligator Records, which in 2002 issued a career retrospective, "Deluxe Edition."

Among many honors, Seals was the winner of W.C. Handy Blues Awards in 1985, 1987 and 2001. He was nominated for a Grammy in 1980 for his participation in the live compilation "Blues Deluxe," recorded at the Chicagofest event with Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor and others.

Seals, who made his last public performance appearance in October in California, is survived by a sister and 14 children. At deadline, funeral arrangements had not yet been announced.

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.

[balogna pogna]

Unless I'm mistaken I think we saw him play Funky Bitch with Phish at Oswego in 1999. Can anyone else confirm this?

[TimmyB]

Unless I'm mistaken I think we saw him play Funky Bitch with Phish at Oswego in 1999. Can anyone else confirm this?

Yes you did, unless you possibly missed some music at Oswego (I wrote that Son Seals played their above).

I remember Son performed two songs of his with Phish, the made famous by Phish "Funky Bitch" and "On My Knees."

[StoneMtn]

That is terrible news! I have never seen him play anywhere with anyone, but I've been a fan for a long time. We are quickly running out of true, old, blues legends.

[NewRider]

When I saw this post I thought for sure his wife had finished the job that she started years ago when she blew off his leg.

R.I.P. Son Seals

[Esau]

Very very sad news,Son has always been one of my favourite bluesmen,seen him on numerous occasions (never with Phish),a quality show from an above quality musician.

A serious loss to blues music & music in general.

the made famous by Phish "Funky Bitch" and "On My Knees."

Thats suppose to be in purple right? Because those songs may have been made famous in the "jamband" community to unenlighteded heads (to blues that is) because of Phish,but,they certianly were very popular songs in the blues/rock & roll community long before Son ever honored Phish with his presence on stage.

ps.Son also played on one of the side stages during the day at Oswego.(also)

[Jaimoe]

I'm shocked.

I've seen Son twice in the last 3 years - once at Buddy Guy's in Chicago and the last time at Healey's in Toronto. I'm very sad right now.

Son is of the same blues generation as current living members: Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Taj Mahal and to a lesser extent, R.L. Burnside.

Son was a gifted guitarist with an emotive lead style. His singing voice could chill your soul. This is a tragic loss.

By the way, I believe he was shot in the face by his wife and he lost his leg due to diabetes complications.

[NewRider]

thanks for clearing that up Jaimoe, I knew his wife shot him at one point. I remember hearing that he was back on the road within a week or two after that incident!

[Jaimoe]

Shot in the face by your wife and you lose a leg to diabetes. That man LIVED THE BLUES. By comparison, what kind of real blues could Johnny Lang or Kenny Wayne Sheppard have? Maybe someone stole Lang's Play Station?

[StoneMtn]

No kidding Jaimoe! I know what you mean about a lot of modern-day blues guys.

I think the neo-Bluesman I'm the least impressed with has got to be Colin James. That guy actually has the potential to play great blues, actually had the advantage of being mentored by Stevie Ray Vaughan, yet he opts to spew pop crap for the masses.

[Jaimoe]

I think the neo-Bluesman I'm the least impressed with has got to be Colin James. That guy actually has the potential to play great blues, actually had the advantage of being mentored by Stevie Ray Vaughan, yet he opts to spew pop crap for the masses.

I think Colin's main flaw is in his lack of direction and taste. He knows he's a great guitarist and in his mind, has mastered the blues, but he likes other genres of music just as much as the blues. I do think blues is in Colin's soul, but the other types of music that he loves ( like soul and big band jazz ) are his passion. Sad.

[Jaimoe]

This is a nice write-up of Son from Relix. Notice the Trey and Phish collaborations:

Son Seals 1942-2004 2004-12-21

Following a long struggle with diabetes, veteran blues guitarist Son Seals passed away yesterday in his hometown of Chicago, IL. Though his career spanned 30 years and eleven albums, the 62-year-old guitarist is perhaps best known to Relix readers as the author of "Funky Bitch," a key track in Phish's repertoire.

A noted songwriter and vocalist, Seals emerged from the Chicago blues scene in the early 1970s, helping revive the Windy City's struggling music community. Born Frank Seals in Osceola, AK in 1942, Seals originally fashioned himself a drummer before switching to guitar at the age of 18. Seals moved to Chicago in 1971 and began playing regular weekend gigs at The Expressway Lounge and other clubs on Chicago's South Side, regularly jamming with legends like Hound Dog Taylor, Junior Wells and Buddy Guy. In 1985, 1987, and 2001, Seals received a W.C. Handy Blues Awards and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1980 for his participation in the live compilation "Blues Deluxe."

Son's 1973 debut recording, "The Son Seals Blues Band," on the fledging Alligator Records label, established Seals as a national attraction. At the time, The New York Times called him "the most exciting young blues guitarist and singer in years." His 1977 follow-up, "Midnight Son," also received national attention.

Throughout the 1980s, Seals toured Europe and shared the stage with B.B. King and Johnny Winter. The 1990s were a turbulent time for the guitarist. In 1997, Seals was shot by his ex-wife, forcing him to undergo jaw reconstruction. Soon after, complications from diabetes forced Seals to have his lower left leg amputated.

After performing Seals' "Funky Bitch" regularly for several years, Phish jammed with the guitarist in July of 1997. In 1999, Seals played before an estimated 50,000 fans at Phish’s Camp Oswego festival, performing both "Funky Bitch" and his own "On My Knees." During Phish's hiatus, Seals' covered the group's "Suzy Greenberg" for the Mockingbird Foundation's charity CD, Sharin' in the Groove . Trey Anastasio also appeared on Seals' 2000 release, Lettin' Go . Seals played his last live performances in October, 2004, in California.