According to the Hollywood Reporter Chicago’s blues guitarist Magic Slim died yesterday at a Philadelphia hospital at the age of 75.
Slim’s recording started in the ‘60s as he built a reputation for his blues guitar playing, and pure raw vocals, helping shape Chicago’s electric blues. He became so well known in the area that Eddie Vedder asked Slim and his backing band, The Teardrops, to open for Pearl Jam in 1994.
Slim started out at an early age playing piano, but had to drop the piano after an accident left him shy a pinkie finger, at which point he decided to give the guitar a try and never looked back.
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Slim's recording career began with a series of singles in 1966, recording his first album in 1977. Since that time he had churned out over 35 albums with both Wolf Records and Blind Pig Records. “Bad Boy” was his most recent album which dropped in 2012.
"Magic Slim embodied the heart and soul of this label,” comments Blind Pig Records owner Jerry Del Giudice. “It was Magic Slim, and the guys like him, and their music, that inspired us to start the label in the first place."
Slim has always had a relentless touring schedule, building a die-hard fan base. On his website Slim is quoted saying, "I've got the blues deep down in my heart and I'll keep on playing till I can't no more". Slim toured until the very end, when he started suffering health problems while on tour in Pennsylvania, eventually landing him in the hospital.
Funeral arrangements and a Memorial Service will be announced later this week.
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