Henry Gray RIP

Sad to hear that Henry Gray, one of the last of the original Chicago blues men, has died at the age of 95. Henry was born in Louisiana and grew up in Baton Rouge before moving to Chicago in 1946. His piano playing can be heard on many blues records of the early fifties by the likes of Jimmy Reed, Bo Diddley and Billy Boy Arnold. In 1956 he joined Howlin' Wolf's band where he stayed for 12 years before moving back to Baton Rouge. He became an important figure in the Louisiana swamp blues scene and recorded upwards of 50 albums. He was a regular performer at New Orleans Jazzfest, the Chicago Blues Festival, the King Biscuit and other blues festivals and I saw him several times in the 1990s, including one occasion at the World's End pub in Finsbury Park. He had a weekly residency at a bar in Baton Rouge but unfortunately when Alan, Dave, Lee and I visited a few years back he was indisposed. We did, however, see him in 2018 at the New Orleans Blues and Barbecue Festival when, at the age of 93, he played a 60 minute set backed by Terrance Simian, Li'l Buck Sinegal (now sadly deceased) and Bob Corritore. Numbers, of which there were over 20, included 'Sweet Home Chicago', 'Bright Lights Big City', 'Going Down Slow' and 'Blueberry Hill'. RIP to one of the blues greats.

Another death is that of Cavan Grogan of South Wales band Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers at the age of 70. Cavan's band played Teddy Boy rock and toured extensively since its original foundation in 1964. They played a major part in the rock and roll revival of the 1970s and were popular with many British rockabilly fans. Here he is at Viva Las Vegas in 2014.