Eddie Kirkland(1923-2011)

Blues singer/guitarist Eddie Kirkland was one of the most prominent musicians in the blues scene in Detroit, MI, in the 1950s. Born in Jamaica, West Indies, he was raised in Alabama and grew up singing in his church choir, learning to play guitar when e local blues singer gave him one. In his teens he traveled to New Orleans and played guitar on the streets for tips. He eventually worked his way to Detroit, where he met up with John Lee Hooker. The two teamed up and performed in various nightspots in the city and even recorded together. He became a mainstay in the Detroit music scene, and in 1961 recorded an album with King Curtis. Shortly afterward he moved to Georgia, and worked in blues clubs in and around Macon. In the 1960s he recorded some albums with John Lee Hooker for Bluesway Records and several on his own for Volt Records and King Records. In the 1970s he hooked up with the British blues-rock band Foghat, which gave him a new fan base. He continued to perform and record, releasing the album "All Around the World" in 1993 on Deluge Records.

Eddie Kirkland died in Crystal River, FL, on Feb. 27, 2011.