Joe Willie Pinetop Perkins
July 7, 1913 - March 21, 2011

"I just wanna make people happy and make a dollar or two.  It's all I know to do."

From Patricia Morgan, Pinetop's long time manager - "Sad news. Pinetop did indeed leave us today. He died peacefully in his sleep at home." 

UPDATE:  Please see Cook-Walden Funeral Home for details.

"He was one of the last great Mississippi Bluesmen. He had such a distinctive voice, and he sure could play the piano. He will be missed not only by me, but by lovers of music all over the world," King said in an emailed statement. (B.B. King)

"I feel extremely blessed to have known and gotten to play with him these many decades. And I'm very grateful he got to live such a long and rewarding life, receiving the recognition that he always deserved and so few blues pioneers get to enjoy. He will be sorely missed and always loved."  (Bonnie Raitt)

"We knew he lived a good life. What can you say about the man? He left here in his sleep. That's the way I want to go," said Smith, who lives in Chicago. (Willie "Big Eyes" Smith)

"Two cheeseburgers, apple pie, a cigarette and a pretty girl was all he wanted," Southard said. (Hugh Southard)

"He was a member of our family, not just the Antone's family, but the Austin family," said Susan Antone

Neil Portnow, president of The Recording Academy that awards the Grammys, called Perkins "a legendary bluesman and master piano player."

"He loves everybody the same, whether it's the president of the United States or the guy on Sixth Street who just asked him for spare change," Nowlin said.  (Barry Nowlin)

"He was a guy who put a huge amount of humor in his music," said Iglauer. "When you think of his blues, they made you smile."  (Bruce Iglauer)

Please consider honoring Pinetop's legacy by making a donation to The Pinetop Perkins Foundation.  Donations can be made by check or via PayPal.  Information can be found on the Foundation's website here.

The Pinetop Perkins Foundation aims to make Clarksdale, Mississippi a top resource for young pianists with the announcement of its second annual Youth Workshop Series.  This year the event will take place from June 15 - 17, 2011 and offer guitar as well as piano workshops.  Bob Margolin will direct the guitar workshops and Ann Rabson returns to lead the piano workshops.  Pinetop, himself, plans to be in attendance for part of the event. 

Scholarships will be available to youths 21 and under.  Registration and scholarship application forms are available at the Pinetop Perkins Foundation website.

These workshops are open to the young and the young at heart!

For more information contact the Pinetop Perkins Foundation or phone 662 313 1093.

Join The Pinetop Perkins Foundation on Facebook

And the Grammy Goes To .......

... Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and Pinetop Perkins for Joined At the Hip in the category of Best Traditional Blues Album.

May they both Rest In Peace Forever Joined At The Hip

Band Members:  Hubert Sumlin, Pinetop Perkins, Sugar Blue, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bob Stroger and Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin.

Once in a lifetime you may experience a brief moment when the stars align and something truly extraordinary happens.  This will be the case in March and April 2010 when six of the greatest living blues legends assemble on stage for three incomparable nights of music.  Not just legends of the Blues.  Not just early architects of rock and roll.  These are true American cultural icons including one recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship Award, the highest honor in the USA for traditional arts.

Pinetop Perkins Featured on The Cover
of  Their Love of Music 

In Their Love of Music photographer Steve Azzato has captured the essence of the creative spirit in the faces and words of the musicians themselves.  Featuring portraits of one hundred seventeen artists, the book takes a slightly different approach to music photography than typically seen.

Steve Azzato's wonderful portraits of one hundred seventeen musicians from all spectrum's of the music world and their quotes on what makes them play night after night gives you insight into why these musicians are so dedicated to their music.  The forward is written by newscaster and musician Lester Holt.

Check out these photos of  Steve Azzato and Richard Mack with Pinetop signing a few copies of the new book! 

Their Love of Music Blog Spot - Our Cover Man

Order Their Love of Music - Quiet Light Publishing - All books ordered direct from the publisher are autographed.

To learn more about this project check out their Facebook Page.