Man, that's hard to hear.
I hope he got to finish his book. I made a donation and my name was gonna be in it he ensured me before he died.
Really was a excellent harp player. Not to mention his guitar and piano skills. And most importantly, he was a wonderful person from what I've heard.
The book is gonna have some gripping and hilarious stories from his early days in the blues scene. I'll try to find out what's happening with the book.
Here's a taste of it,
"The year was 1968, before Martin Luther King was assassinated, before the Watts and Chicago riots. The country was in turmoil, fighting the Vietnam War and the war for Civil Rights in the South. The times were changing.
I was riding in a Volkswagen van traveling on a winding highway somwhere near Tupelo, Mississippi with Otis Spann, S.P. Leary, Sammy Lawhorn and Bo the driver. Luther "Georgia Boy Snake" Johnson was driving the lead car, a station wagon, with Little Sonny Wimberly riding shotgun. Muddy Waters was relaxing in the rear seat. Everyone in the band carried a gun.
As the band entered the town, a large railroad-sized billboard of a hooded KKK nightrider on a white stallion, reared up on its hind legs, greeted the band. The sign had a caption below it: "BEWARE, YOU ARE NOW ENTERING KLAN COUNTRY."
Everyone in the band saw the sign. No one spoke."
I was playing the week long gig with Muddy as a piano player because Pinetop had broken his wrist. We were on a break. Muddy’s manager Scott Cameron came into the dressing room and told Muddy "There's a real heavyweight in the house and he wants to sit in on the harmonica, his name is Bob Dylan." So we went back up and Muddy sang a few then he called me up to play a harmonica instrumental. When I finished Dylan walked on the stage and this photo is me handing him a harp and Muddy is introducing him, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I want you to put your hands together for a great harp blower he's one of the best, JOHN Dylan." There was minimal applause then guitarist Bob Margolin whispered to Muddy "Its Bob Dylan not John." Then Muddy corrected himself, "I'm sorry Ladies and gentlemen this is BOB DYLAN", and the audience went wild. That was the same night that Muddy introduced Sugar Blue as Powder Blue.
