The end of An Era

Koko Taylor passed away yesterday at the age of 80 . She was one of those old-school geniuses who grew up on a farm in the South and sang about life and love and the power of the humble black woman . She rode shotgun with her old man on trucking runs , playing clubs along the way and played the scuzziest Chicago clubs for over a decade . She didn't even record a full-length album until she was 40 . She truly lived the Blues life . Janis Joplin worshiped her and so did generations of mamas across all genres - every feminist musicianowes something to Koko . She worked like a dog making music and entertaining and inspiring people until the day she died - her last album was put out less than 2 years ago and was playing live less than a month ago .
We have memories to go on and pass to the next generation , and we best be doing so.

I'd like to think heaven just got a hell of a lot more soulful with Koko Taylor howlin away up there .