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" He was a man who brought people together. He saw only people, never black or white, male or female, rich or poor. "
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By Norm Shaw
Luther Allison, perhaps the best bluesman of the past five years, died Aug. 12 after a short battle with cancer. Allison, winner of the top W.C. Handy Awards the past two years, was diagnosed with lung cancer and brain tumors on July 10. He played his last show that night in Madison, Wis., where he had a summer home. An initial round of treatment was completed by the first of August. Almost immediately, the Internet was a buzz of information and thoughts on Allison. The blues e-mail lists became instant fonts of information on Allison. BlueSpeak received several e-mails in the week following Allison's death. "(He was) a hell of an artist. I was thrilled to record him in 1969. It's hard to find an artist like that and bring them into the studio," said Bob Koester, founder and president of Delmark Records, the first company to record Allison. "The numerous comparisons to Magic Sam are justified, and both men left us way too soon." Tom Claypool, host of Blues Today on WEVL FM-90 on Mondays from 8-10 a.m., reflected on the death of Allison and Johnny Clyde Copeland, who died the month before. "I finally got to see Johnny Clyde Copeland perform (twice) and got to see Luther Allison once again, the nicest man in show business. Was this just three months ago?" Claypool wrote. "Life is very fleeting. In the last year I have personally felt the loss of these two men greatly. Neither would remember my name, but they had a profound effect on me. Luther's attitude was one to be held in esteem by all of humankind. Johnny Clyde's struggle and triumph to return to touring was a great inspiration to me especially with my own heart difficulties. He was the reason I returned to playing in public after an absence of twelve years." Scott Strang, a fan from Northern Indiana, took the same course of many fans. "I spent most of the evening listening to Luther. Blue Streak and Reckless and the local public radio station has blues shows three days a week and did a nice tribute," Strang wrote. "What struck me most about seeing him live was the sense that he was genuinely thrilled to be entertaining all of us. He really had the ability to tune in and relate to his audience and he played as if he were never going to stop while his three hours plus on stage seemed to rush by. I'll never forget his walk through the crowd with "It Hurts Me Too." That's kind of how I feel thinking about his departure." A memorial service and jam took place on Allison's birthday on Aug. 17 (he would have been 60). Organized by Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records, the service and jam attracted a packed house. Gloria Pierce posted the following on a blues e-mail list: "I have never in my entire life experienced anything so moving, so spiritually awakening, so magical, and bonded with so many people. I watched walls come down between family members and people who had been emotionally separated, angrily at times, feeling bad vibrations - and they into a magical celebration of Luther's touch of the soul." The program from the service read: "Luther Allison lived life to its fullest. Although his life was short, the joy he gave to the world was more than most are able to give in many more years. Both on and off the bandstand, he spread love to everyone he touched. He was a man who brought people together. He saw only people, never black or white, male or female, rich or poor. To those of us who hurt, and those of us who felt alone, he offered his voice, his fingers, his sweat, his body, and his soul to each who heard. He made us smile; he made us dance; he brought us together; he made us care about each other: He was a true soul fixin' man." Allison was born at midnight on Aug. 17, 1939, the 14 of 15 children. He moved to Chicago in 1951, and by the age of 18 was playing guitar professionally. He recorded for Delmark, then Motown, before moving to France in the late 1970s. He lived in France full-time, and had a summer home in Madison, Wis. He released 22 albums, with his last three being recorded in Memphis by Jim Gaines. Allison did have health insurance from France, but it had a clause specifically excluding cancer coverage, which left his family with more than $100,000 in unpaid medical bills. Donations can be sent to: Luther Allison Medical Fund, c/o Blue Sky Management, 761 N. Washington, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Survivors include Allison's business and life partner, Carolyn "Rocky" Brown; Mrs. Fannie Mae Allison; sons Luther T. and Bernard; stepchildren Carolyn, Frank, Juliette, Rose, Joanne, Ray and Connie; three brothers; two sisters; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Partial Discography
1969 - Love Me Mama, Delmark Records
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