Farewell to Little Smokey and Gentleman June

A couple more music deaths to report:

Bluesman Albert 'Little Smokey' Smothers died on November 20 aged 71. Not to be confused with his elder brother, Otis 'Big Smokey' Smothers, Little Smokey joined up with Howlin' Wolf in 1958 and played on his Chess recordings around that time. In 1961 he founded Little Smokey Smothers and the Pipeplayers. and later met Paul Butterfield and became a founding member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. During the 60s he played with Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Earl Hooker and Junior Wells and after a period out of the music business he re-appeared in the 1980s with The Legendary Blues Band. His first solo album came in 1993 with the Chicago Blues of Little Smokey Smothers released on the Dutch Black Magic label, featuring Elvin Bishop. Later work included Second Time Around and That's My Partner on Alligator, a live album recorded in San Francisco. He appeared regularly at blues festivals and clubs, including Ground Zero in Clarksdale, before serious illness struck, resulting in his legs being amputated.

Another death is that of New Orleans drummer Gentleman June Gardner at the age of 80. He worked with a host of stars including Sam Cooke (Live at the Harlem Square Club - see photo), Lee Dorsey (Working In a Coal Mine). Edgar Blanchard, Lou Rawls, Roy Brown and Dave Batholomew. He also had his own band - June Gardner and the Fellas - and recorded 'Mustard Greens' and '99 Plus One'.