Although he was proficient at a number of wind instruments, Colin Cooper is best remembered as the lead singer and saxophonist for UK blues rock band, Climax Blues Band. Often included in lists of “one hit wonders,” Climax Blues Band had a big one with their 1976 release, “Couldn’t Get It Right.” The single landed in the Top 10 of the British singles charts and later, #3 on the US pop charts. It continues to receive significant airplay on U.S. classic rock stations to this day. Cooper died of cancer at the age of 68.
Jackie Washington
November 12, 1919 – June 27, 2009
Jackie Washington was one of those artists that was referred to as both a jazz and blues singer. Born in Ontario, Canada, Washington taught himself how to play the guitar at thirteen. This helped the family during the depression as he and his brothers began performing to earn extra money for their large family. During the late ’40s, Washington became Canada’s first African American disc jockey, hosting a jazz show on a Hamilton radio station. Washington’s career as a musician kicked into high gear during the folk revival of the ’60s, becoming a regular along Canada’s folk and blues festival circuits. Besides making several albums of his own, including four excellent titles for Vanguard Records, Washington appeared on recordings by such greats as Lionel Hampton, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, and Duke Ellington. He was also an inspiration to many, including a young Bob Dylan, who liberally “borrowed” from Washington’s version of “Nottumun Town” for his own “Masters Of War.” There was even talk of Washington suing Dylan, but that never came to be. Jackie Washington died of complications from an earlier heart attack. He was 89.
James “Son” Thomas (aka James “Sonny Ford” Thomas) October 14, 1926 – June 26, 1998
Son Thomas was a Mississippi born Delta blues musician who made the rounds of the area’s juke joints before making his first recordings in the late ’60s. A documentary of his life, Delta Blues Singer: James “Sonny Ford” Thomas, was released in 1970. Thomas passed away on June 26, 1998 at the age of 71. His headstone was paid for by John Fogerty.
Johnny Jenkins was a flashy electric blues guitarist who, during the early ’60s lead a Memphis band called the Pinetoppers. In 1962, Jenkins and the band were at the legendary Stax studio working on a new record when his driver – Jenkins didn’t have a driver’s license – was offered a chance to record a track during some leftover studio time. That driver happened to be Otis Redding, and the song he recorded was “These Arms Of Mine,” which would launch his career. Jenkins played on that track and was eventually offered the lead guitar position in Redding’s band, but declined – as the story goes – because he was afraid of flying. Redding, of course died a few years later in a plane crash. In the meantime, Jenkins was building his own following, thanks in part to his flashy guitar playing and on-stage gimmicks that were later replicated by one of his biggest fans, Jimi Hendrix. Although he had released a couple of critically acclaimed albums, Jenkins found only moderate success so he all but retired from the music business in the early ’70s. One of his early albums, Ton-Ton Maoute!, featured young session player Duane Allman and is considered to be a southern blues/rock essential. He made a brief comeback during the mid ’90s and released three more albums. Johnny Jenkins was 67 when he died of a stroke on June 26, 2006.
Nick Holt is best remembered as the longtime bassist for his brother’s band, Magic Slim & the Teardrops. Co-forming the band in 1960, Holt played beside his brother for the next 40 years. Besides also fronting the Nick Holt Blues Band, he was also a popular session musician, having worked with the likes of Little Milton and Vance Kelly. He died of brain cancer at the age of 69.