| Ah, the life of Eddie Kirkland: Born in
Jamaica, raised in Alabama until the age of 12, where, in a moment
of wanderlust he stowed away in one of the tent trucks of The Sugar
Girls Medicine Show. When he was discovered, miles from his
home, his talents as a dancer and harmonica player landed him a spot
in the show. His life on the road had begun.
There he stayed until on the streets of Detroit he
met seminal bluesman John Lee Hooker. The two bonded instantly and
went on to tour and record together non-stop for nearly a decade. Of
those years Eddie says, "John was like a brother to me." After that,
there was a move to Georgia where he would become the bandleader for
legendary soul-man Otis Redding. In 1962, he recorded "It's the
Blues, Man," arguably one of the most powerful recordings in blues
history. He has been on the road ever since, and at age 76,
maintains a full touring schedule that can keep him on the road up
to 48 weeks a year.
Here's Eddie layin' it all on the line and later
that night being reunited with his friend of twenty years, Key West
pianamal, Barry Cuda. Eddie arrived at The Parrot with a total
lack of pretense and a boatload of charm.
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Eddie's Car |
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What can you say? Someday it should go to the Blues Museum in Clarksdale... |
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