The funeral for Chicago Blues legend Koko Taylor was held on June 12, 2009; at Rainbow Push Coalition National Headquarters in Chicago. Koko Taylor, 80, passed away on June 3, 2009. In what may be an ironic twist, or a fitting tribute, her funeral was held on the opening day of the Chicago Blues Festival in Grant Park. The Blues community mourned the loss of .jpg)
“The Queen of the Blues.”
According to the biography on the Koko Taylor official website, Taylor was born Cora Walton on a sharecropper’s farm outside of Memphis, Tennessee; on September 28, 1928. She loved chocolate, so was nicknamed Koko. She fell in love with music at an early age and began to belt out the blues with her five sisters and brothers, as they accompanied themselves on homemade instruments.
Koko Taylor traveled to Chicago with her soon to be husband, the late Robert “Pops” Taylor with what she was quoted as saying “Thirty – five cents and a box of Ritz Crackers.” The couple took humble jobs in Chicago. Pops worked in a packing house and Koko cleaned houses. For entertainment, they frequented the city’s blues clubs and Koko started to sit in with the top bands in the city. The singer was soon in demand as a guest artist in the blues clubs. In 1962 Koko was approached by arranger/composer Willie Dixon who landed her a Chess Records recording contract. Dixon produced several singles, two albums and wrote her signature 1965 hit Wang Dang Doodle.
Taylor’s blues career spanned over 40 years. Koko Taylor's many awards and recognitions include the 1993 Legend of the Year Award and Koko Taylor Day declared by Mayor Richard M. Daley. In 1997 Taylor was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame. She was named Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Magazine in 1998. Taylor received the Blues Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.
Koko Taylor’s final appearance was on May 7, 2009 at the Blues Music Awards on May 7, 2009. She sang Wang Dang Doodle after being awarded the Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year. The award made her the recipient of more Blues Music Awards than any other artist.
Attached to this article is a photo slideshow of Koko Taylor’s funeral.
Comments
Terrific profile, I need to hear more.
What a beautiful tribute to Koko. She was incredible!
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