Died On This Date (September 14, 1981) Furry Lewis / Country Blues Pioneer
themusicsover Walter “Furry” Lewis
March 6, 1893 – September 14, 1981
Furry Lewis is one of country blues’ pioneers, making his name as a songwriter and guitarist in the early decades of the 20th century. He started performing at local parties while still in his teens, and by the late ’20s, he was recording sides for Vocalion Records in Chicago. Lewis had minor successes during his early years, but still needed to rely on his job as a city street sweeper until his retirement in 1966. His career rebounded during the folk revival of the ’60s, even being the topic of the Joni Mitchell song, “Furry Sings The Blues” (aparrently he was not a fan). The ’70s found Lewis touring the country along with Sleepy John Estes and Bukka White as part of a caravan tour. He also opened for the Rolling Stones a couple of times and performed on the Tonight Show during the ’70s. Furry Lewis died at the age of 88 as a result of pneumonia.
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