Joseph “Pinetop” Perkins
July 7, 1913 – March 21, 2011
Pinetop Perkins was a Delta blues pianist and singer whose remarkable career spanned from the 1920s until his passing in 2011. At 97, he was one of the last surviving original Delta bluesmen who were still playing and releasing records. In March of 2011, he became the oldest person to ever win a Grammy. It was for Joined At The Hip that he recorded with Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. Perkins began his career as a guitarist, but was forced to switch to piano after he injured the tendons in one of his arms. By the 1950s, he was touring with Earl Hooker. He also made his first record, “Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie,” at Sam Phillips’ legendary Sun Studios in Memphis. Perkins moved to Chicago in 1968 and within a year, he was hired by Muddy Waters to replace Otis Spann in his band. Perkins played with Waters for more than a decade. It wasn’t until 1988 – and countless vinyl appearances as a sideman – that Perkins finally released his first album, After Hours. He went on to record several more over the next three decades. In 2004, while driving in La Porte, Indiana, 94-year-old Perkins was struck by a train – yes a TRAIN – and although his car was demolished, he walked away with minor injuries. Perkins continued to perform a couple shows nearly every week in Austin where he had eventually settled. Pinetop Perkins passed away on March 21, 2011.
Thanks to Stephen Brower for the assist.
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