Another blues man gone

Blues man Louisiana Red (Iverson Minter) has died in Germany at the age of 79. Red's mother died when he was very young and his father was lynched by the Ku Klux Klan when he was a child. He first recorded for Checker in 1949, played with John Lee Hooker in the 1950s, and recorded as Rocky Fuller. He released the album Lowdown Back Porch Blues in 1963, followed by Seventh Son. He recorded throughout the 60s and 70s for Chess, Checker and various other labels and enjoyed recognition in 1983 when he won the W C Handy Award for Best Traditional Blues Artist. He continued to record and enjoy success into the 21st century with albums including You Got To Move in 2009 and Memphis Mojo last year. He moved to Hanover in 1981.

Also dead is songwriter, guitarist and arrange Billy Strange, aged 81. As a performer he recorded a string of instrumental records with GNP Crescendo (released on Vocalion in the UK) during the 1960s, many of them versions of James Bond and western movie themes. He also played guitar on records by the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, The Everly Brothers and Wanda Jackson, among others. As a songwriter his credits included A Little Less Conversation for Elvis and Limbo Rock for Chubby Checker. He arranged and conducted records for Nancy Sinatra (including These Boots Are Made for Walking), Frank Sinatra, Duane Eddy and Elvis.