Paul deLay is dead.
The great Northwest blues harmonica player, singer, and songwriter, Paul deLay, died suddenly today from complications related to liver and kidney failure, apparently caused by advanced lukemia. Click here for more details on Paul's sudden demise, and here for the Seattle Times obituary written by Paul de Barros.
Thanks for the years of inspiration and great music, big guy!
R.I.P
Note: The photo of Paul deLay above was created at Seattle's Eastlake Zoo in 1987.
3 comments:
The first time I saw Paul was with his band at the Jolly Roger Roadhouse in Seattle, back in the mid '80s. Besides being a fantastic singer and harp player, he was a gracious and very funny guy. A real NW blues icon has left the buiding.
Paul DeLay was the first live blues harp player I ever saw. In was still in
high school so it was about 1974. Brown Sugar did a gig at Skinners Butte
Park in Eugene with Memphis Charlie Musselwhite. I think Lloyd Jones was on
drums and Jim Mesi on guitar. I was trying to learn the blues harp and this
concert blew me away. After Paul started his own band around 1977 or 78,
we'd go see them at the Eugene Hotel. Mesi on guitar, Dover Whitecliffs on
keyboards and I think Lloyd Jones's brother on drums, Don Campbell on bass??
It was along time ago (sorry). They totally kicked ass, which is saying alot
because Eugene had some great harp players. Curtis Salgado, Bill Rhodes,
Mike Moothart, all went to Willamette High School. Something in the water I
guess. When I moved to Portland in the late eighties and finally got to play
a little with Paul at some jams that another harp player (Dave Mathis) would
put on, he (Paul) was super nice and supportive. I'll never forget that
kindness and support he showed me. As great as he was he was almost always
funny and never stuck-up. A great person and musician. Thanks. Henry Cooper
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