Blues Hall Names 2007 Inductees

Posted in News on March 28, 2007

The 2007 inductions to the Blues Hall of Fame have been announced by the Blues Foundation of Memphis, Tennessee. The awards will be given out at a banquet on May 7, 2007, the night before the annual Blues Music Awards.

The inducted performers include:

• Dave Bartholomew: bandleader/songwriter/producer/arranger who helped to design the sound of New Orleans music; was instrumental in the career of Fats Domino; and wrote such hits as “Walking to New Orleans,” “Blue Monday” and “I Hear You Knockin’.”
• Dr. John: pianist/singer/songwriter; another of the key figures in New Orleans music and known as the Night Tripper; sideman on innumerable sessions and a preservationist of the magic of New Orleans.
• Eddie “Guitar Slim” Jones: vocalist/guitarist; one of the most flamboyant musicians in the blues and known best for his 1953 recording “The Things I Used To Do,” which featured Ray Charles on piano.

The non-performers include:

• Ahmet Ertegun: co-founder of Atlantic records and one of the most successful, influential, celebrated and respected executives in the history of the music business; fan, scholar and producer of the blues.

The classics of blues recordings, single or album track, include:

• Son House, “Death Letter”: Rediscovered in 1964, this delta blues legend released this stirring track on his comeback album, recorded at the age of 63.
• Freddie King, “Hide Away”: One of the most popular and frequently played instrumental in the blues repertoire, this tune, and the rest of King’s catalog, became a blueprint for countless guitarists to this day.
• Bobby “Blue” Bland, “I Pity the Fool”: This 1961 recording is one of Bland’s best and most frequently covered; its combination of searing vocal and stirring arrangement makes it unforgettable.

The classics of blues recording, album, include:

• Junior Parker, Driving Wheel: One of the best but often overlooked vocalists in the blues, Parker’s repertoire goes back to the early days of Sun Records; the title track of this album has appeared on the playlist of many, many blues musicians.

View a list of BMI inductees in the Blues Hall of Fame.

SOURCENews TAGS Blues Ray Charles Fats Domino