Eugene Powell
December 23, 1908 – November 4, 1998
Eugene Powell was a Mississippi born Delta blues musician who, like so many of his peers, picked up the guitar while still a child. During his early career, Powell, who was also proficient on the banjo, violin and harmonica, occasionally performed and recorded with the Mississippi Sheiks. Sometimes performing under the name of Sonny Boy Nelson, Powell built a strong regional following throughout the ’30s and ’40s. But as rock ‘n roll and R&B began to take root, his music began to fall out of favor with young audiences so he was all but retired during the ’50s. He experienced a bit of a comeback during the folk revival of the ’60s, and was encouraged to record and tour the festival circuit. He signed to Adelphi Records in the early ’70s and recorded such sides as “Street Walkin’,” “Suitcase Full of Trouble,” “44 Blues,” and “Meet Me in the Bottoms.” By the ’90s, Powell’s health began to ail so he was living in a nursing facility. He passed away on November 4, 1998.