Died On This Date (January 29, 2013) George Higgs / North Carolina Blues Great
themusicsover George Higgs
1930 – January 29, 2013
George Higgs was a respected Piedmont style blues great who began playing the harmonica as a youngster while taking breaks from working the family tobacco farm in Speed, North Carolina. He eventually picked up the guitar and began performing at area house parties and competitions. By the ’60s, he was fronting the Friendly Five Gospel Quartet. In 1992, Higgs was North Carolina Folklore Society’s Brown-Hudson Award and during the following year, he was presented with the North Carolina Heritage Award. Remarkably, Higgs didn’t release his first album until 2001’s Tarboro Blues which was recognized as the Album of the Year by respected magazine, Living Blues. He released Rainy Day in 2006. George Higgs was 82 when he passed away on January 29, 2013.
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