Koko Taylor's gone on.

Blues great and Grand Dame, Koko Taylor has passed away. One of the all time great "Blues shouters"-known for her theme song-Wang Dang Doodle, she passed earlier today due to complications from surgery she had two weeks ago. She will be sorely missed by me and many other fans. We will be dedicating a set to her this saturday at the Downhome Blues Club in the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame and serving one of her faves---beans  cooked with smoked neckbones and cornbread.

I regret that I was able to hear her live only one time; about eight or nine years ago.  But it is one time that I will never forget.  I had heard the expression "beltin' out the blues" before but never fully appreciated it until I experienced Koko doin' it!

She will be missed.

Mike

Here's a link to the NY Times obit:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/arts/music/04taylor.html?hpw

Maybe this weekend I'll pitch a Wang Dang Doodle in her honor...

Koko was in my film about Howlin Wolf and although I knew she was sick it came as a shock. Perhaps more so because I lost my dad a few weeks ago. her music will live on.

A great artist. And her music will live on.

Lucky for us Koko had relatives in Milwaukee so we got to see her often. She was a one of a kind and will be sorely missed.
She survived that van crash and while I knew she was sick, this still came as a surprise.
R.I.P. Koko.

Not to diminish Koko Taylor but has anyone ever seen Miss Diunna Greenlief?
She has talent, chops, stage presence and a winning personality. The first time I saw her, I thought that she, more than anyone else I've heard reminded me of Koko Taylor. Catch her if you get a chance.

she just wang dang doodled away. RIP
say hi to SRV for me.

MilwFoodlover--Your right---Diunna Greenlief is great-and thankfully she --and  others will carry the torch---but--there will never be a another Koko--we just Wang Danged a few Doodles at the juke joint tonite in her honer--she surly will be missed.

God rest the soul of Koko!!!! There are great jazz folks and then there's KOKO. In the mid eighties I chose to attend a very specialized business seminar in Chicago. Truth is, I wanted to experience Chicago! Wife and mother-in-law insisted I get a ticket to attend "Cats", the play. I did so obediently. The seminar concluded and as planned I stayed a couple extra days. Took my ticket and caught a cab to go see "Cats". Being a small town country type fellow, I admit that theater and the dressed up patrons were an impressive sight. I had no idea what the play was about, hadn't bothered to ask. Well, the curtain rose and the play began. What a shock! A bunch of grownups dressed up as cats prancing around singing some kind of music I didn't like. After about five minutes I walked out. Catching a cab, the driver asked "where to?". My response was, "I don't know, just want to hit a couple blue/jazz clubs". That gentleman truly knew his music! Away we went. He named three I should check out. Dropping me off, he said don't forget the other two. I went inside, my kind of place, felt at home! Didn't want to leave but remembered Cabbie's recommendation. Went to the second, same great people and smokey atmosphere. Then the music began. A woman was the vocalist, someone I'd never heard of named KOKO TAYLOR? I never made it to the third joint. Staying there til they closed the place, I didn't miss a single second of Koko's performance! Simply saying "she was great" doesn't adequately express my admiration. She was not only a great artist. She was also a "good and decent person".  Thanks for the opportunity to tell my story.

I googled "koko taylor". top of the list was a live video of Koko doing WANG DANG DOODLE on youtube. Check it out!

I'm just now seeing this....and I'm in shock. I've seen Koko live several times over the years, and each time it was a pleasure.

I'll miss her, I hope Alligator Records will do some sort of tribute or Anthology for her.

One of my all time favorite songs of any genre has always been her version of "I'd Rather Go Blind"

"So you see I'd rather go blind, then to see you walk away from me" brings a tear to my eye even typing those lyrics.

She was a Queen in every sense of the word......