"Queen of the Blues" Koko Taylor dies; some fond memories

Koko Taylor, who belted out tough, gritty blues for more than a half-century, died yeterday in Chicago, the city that made her blues world-famous. She died of complications from recent gastrointestinal surgery.  Here's an obituary from the Chicago Tribune, in a nice package with audio and video remembrances. There's also an announcement on her web site. Both provide plenty of the factual details of her life.

She was 80 years old but had been performing regularly until her surgery, although you could tell that age was beginning to take its toll on her voice. But not her spirit. She lived the life of a blueswoman since she first started to record for Chess in Chicago in the early 1960s, a discovery of Willie Dixon.

I first saw her in the late '70s, at Mancini's in McKees Rocks, where she seemed to turn up regularly. She also played the Three Rivers Arts Festival,and last appeared there in 2007. Her live shows were great blues fun -- she shouted the blues with passion and strength. She didn't seem to be able to give anything less.

I talked to her a few times in those days for phone intereviews and when she came to town. She was always a pleasure to deal with, quiet and unassuming (until she started to sing), and always loved to talk about the music she loved -- the blues.

The last time I saw her was last June at the 2009 Chicago Blues Festival (photo above). She had a new CD out ("Old School") and she and her band (she always had geat bands) blistered the fans with her trademark tough, gritty blues.

I found this quote in her Tribune obit, and I think she said something like this every time somebody asked her about her music:

"Blues is my life," Taylor once said. "It's a true feeling that comes from the heart, not something that just comes out of my mouth. Blues is what I love, and blues is what I always do."

Then I found a June, 1980, clipping of an interview I did with her for the Pittsburgh Press in advance of one of those shows at Mancini's. Here are a few things that a much younger Koko Talor told me then:

-- "I was influenced by Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, Elmore James, Buddy Guy. I got a chance to sing with some of their bands."

--  "Oh, there's more money in pop and disco. But I'm out here singing what I like. I'm spreadin' joy with the blues."

--  "A lot of people think blues is music to sit and hang your head by. But after people hear me sing, they come up and say 'You really made my day. I didn't know the blues was like that.' I make a lot of people happy with my music."

That's exactly what she always did. And while she did it, she gave blues lovers around the world a huge amount of pleasure for more than 50 years. Koko may be gone, but not her music. That's the beauty of the blues.

Here's a photo of Koko at the 2007 Three Rivers Arts Festival, sent in this morning by John Carlson. Thanks, John.

Here's a YouTube video of Koko just at the start of her career in 1967, with Little Walter in the band, singing what would become her signature tune, "Wang Dang Doodle."