The Blues Hall of Fame has named seven new members for 2017 along with inductees for albums, singles and literature.
The new individuals who will be inducted are:
Mavis Staples – The long time member of the Staples Singers who has gone on to a very successful solo career with such albums as We’ll Never Turn Back, One True Vine and Livin’ on a High Note.
Lattimore – After starting his career with a number of R&B hits (Let’s Straighten It Out, Somethin’ ‘Bout ‘Cha), he rededicated himself to the blues along with becoming a well-regarded session pianist.
Magic Slim – Leader of one of most awarded blues bands out of Chicago (six Blues Band of the Year Awards), Magic Slim was also an extremely prolific recording artists with over three dozen albums between 1977 and 2014.
Willie Johnson – The guitarist who brought a driving, distorted guitar to the band of
Howlin’ Wolf in the 50’s, he later played with Muddy Waters and a number of other Chicago-based artists.
Johnny Copeland – Starting in the 50’s in Texas, Copeland found his greatest success after signing with Rounder in 1981 and releasing such classics as Copeland Special and
Texas Twister. He was named Blues Entertainer of the Year in 1983.
Henry Gray – Possibly the least recognisable name on the list, Gray has had a seven-decade career playing piano with such artists as Robert Lockwood, Jr. , the Rolling Stones, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.
Amy van Singel – The co-founder of Living Blues magazine and blues radio host known as Atomic Mama.
The Blues Hall of Fame is one of the few organisations that recognised literature about the music as an integral part of its history, this year inducting W.C. Handy’s 1941 autobiography Father of the Blues.
Six recordings have also been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, one album and five singles.
Real Folk Blues – John Lee Hooker (album)
Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley
Hi-Heel Sneakers – Tommy Tucker
I Ain’t Superstitious – Willie Dixon
I’ll Play the Blues For You – Albert King
Preachin’ the Blues – Son House
The induction ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 10 at Halloran Centre for the Performing Arts and Education in Memphis. The Blues Awards will be presented the next night at the Cook Convention Center.
