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T-Model Ford
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Skeeter Provis
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Mississippi Slim
with an adoring fan.
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Willie Foster was a very cool bluesman. He
played his harp and sang all over this
country. His death in May 2001 was a
heavy blow to the blues scene in the Delta.
A large group of musicians held a benefit in
March 2003 to pay the costs of his
tombstone. Willie was very generous; he
would let just about anyone,including me,
join him onstage. He knew how to pass on
the tradition. He was a ladies' man, too. I
remember watching him get a nice handfull
of my girlfriend's rear end as she got his
autograph at a festival in Rosedale. What
could I say? She was flustered....and in a
way... I sort of felt honored! Rest In
Peace, Mr. Foster.... and don't worry, I'm
gonna love everybody from the bottom of
my heart.
Eddie Cusic
T-Model along with his son and
drummer Michael Manuel
with Barry Bays on bass.
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. This stone was created by delta artisan Alan Orlicek.
I love the delta blues sound as surely as I love
cornbread and my moma. It's loose, guttural and
extremely hypnotic. I sometimes wonder if the
loose collection of musicians here in the delta
realize that they, with every single note, are the
new vanguard of this music. There is so much
history behind it all; it's easy to forget that the
blues is "now" music... it is alive.
The Willie Foster Memorial Blues Benefit was
held March 7, 2003 at the Walnut St. Blues
Bar. I took photos of lots of delta blues regulars.
Bill Abel & Li'l Bill Wallace
Willie Foster
John Horton
--Jimi Hendrix
