Today, we have news that blues legends Bob Koester and Eddie Shaw received the prestigious lifetime achievement award by publisher Bob Kieser of Blues Blast Magazine, just ahead of the 2013 Blues Blast Music Awards to be held October 31st in Chicago, IL at the world famous Buddy Guy’s Legends.
As an independent music source, we pride ourselves for supporting those artists, individuals, and organizations, who survive and stay positive in this ever-changing music world. Today’s press release couldn’t be more on-focus to our mission of sharing independent success stories as both Koester and Shaw’s stories are unique and truly worthy of this lifetime achievement award recognition.
From the original Blues Blast press release regarding Koester:
“…Bob started recording blues records featuring area favorites like Big Joe Williams. In 1958, he visited Chicago in hopes of purchasing a dormant catalog of recordings. Instead, he ended up moving his entire operation there to a storefront known as Seymour’s Jazz Mart and eventually changing the record label name to the familiar Delmark Records. His early releases focused on acoustic musicians like Sleepy John Estes and Yank Rachell “re-discovered” by the blues revival in the early 1960’s. He also found a niche purchasing and re-releasing records from labels that were no longer in business.One high point for the label occurred in 1965 when Bob decided to record a working blues live in the studio to attempt to capture the magic the group was creating on stage in clubs throughout the city. The resulting release, Hoodoo Man Blues by Junior Wells with Buddy Guy, was the first of many classic blues recordings on Delmark. The disc spurred interest in the contemporary Chicago blues scene, introducing the music to a wider audience whose ears had already been open by sweeping changed in other musical genres. Over the years Delmark has released other seminal titles like West Side Soul by Magic Sam, Cold Day in Hell by Otis Rush, and J.B. Hutto’s Hawk Squat.
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Regarding Eddie Shaw:
“Shaw’s many contributions to the blues encompassed him putting on his arranging hat for The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions (which featured Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman, Ringo Starr and others) in 1971, writing songs on Wolf’s 1973 album The Back Door Wolf and for the Grammy nominated album Unk & Funk by Muddy Waters in 1974. His discography includes albums on the Simmons, Isabel, Blue Rooster, Wolf and Delmark labels in addition to tracks that appear on compilations by Alligator Records and other labels.
Eddie has also written an impressive catalog of songs that have been featured on his own projects as well as recordings by Wolf, Willie Dixon and Magic Sam. He also ran Eddie’s Place – the 1815 Club on W. Roosevelt – for a number of years during the 70’s decade, providing a spot where Chicago’s blues community could gather and let their hair down. It became Howlin’ Wolf’s local hang-out during the last years of his life.”
With the announcement of these lifetime achievement awards, we salute & congratulate Bob Koester and Eddie Shaw! You are true living legends who have seen more than we’ll ever know. We’re sure your lives will continue to broaden the path for other independent artist and labels in the future.
Check out Blues Blast Magazine: http://www.thebluesblast.com
In Chicago? RSVP and get tickets to the Blues Blast Music Awards by visiting: https://www.facebook.com/events/569755436425591/
Looking to support the blues?
Check out Nick Moss and his latest kickstarter project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nickmoss/be-a-part-of-nick-moss-forthcoming-cd-time-aint-fr
