Mike Bloomfield, Furry Lewis and Allen Toussaint among Blues Hall of Fame inductees

Mike Bloomfield, Furry Lewis and Allen Toussaint among Blues Hall of Fame inductees
February 18, 2012
Music News.com

The Blues Hall of Fame has announced the performers, non-performing individuals, recordings and books to be inducted in 2012.

The class is led by such noted artists as Allen Toussaint, Furry Lewis, Lazy Lester and Mike Bloomfield while non-performers include Doc Pomus and DJ Pervis Spann. Recording are also being inducted by Magic Sam, Tampa Red, Pine Top Smith, Buddy Guy and the Robert Cray Band.

Inductees are chosen by the Blues Hall of Fame committee which includes scholars, record producers, radio programmers and historians and is chaired by Jim O'Neill, the founding editor of Living Blues magazine. The induction will be held on Wednesday, May 9 at the Memphis Marriott Downtown, the night before the 33rd annual Blues Music Awards.

The full list of inductees:

Performers

Billy Boy Arnold - Chicago based blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. Played harp on Bo Diddley's I'm a Man.
Mike Bloomfield - One of the first popular "superstars" to be recognized solely for his guitar playing. A primary influence in the late-60's resurgence of blues music.
Buddy & Ella Johnson - Jazz and blues pianist and bandleader (Buddy) and singer (Ella). Hits included When My Man Comes Home (1944/#1 R&B), Let's Beat Out Some Love (1943/#2). Buddy wrote the standard Since I Fell For You.
Lazy Lester - Blues harmonica player who has backed a wide range of artists. His songs have been recorded by artists from Freddy Fender and Dwight Yoakam to the Kinks and Dave Edmunds.
Furry Lewis - Country blues guitarist in songwriter whose career started in the 1920's and was one of the first to re-surge in the folk blues revival of the 1960's.
Matt "Guitar" Murphy - Blues guitarist who played with Howlin' Wolf, Ike Turner, Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Etta James, Memphis Slim and the Blues Brothers among many others.
Frank Stokes - Considered by many to be the father of Memphis blues guitar, whose career ran from minstrel shows to a short recording career in the late 20's.
Allen Toussaint - New Orleans based musician, composer and record producer. As a songwriter, he is responsible for Working in a Coalmine, Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues), Southern Nights and Mother-in-Law.

Individuals

Horst Lippmann & Fritz Rau - Formed the Lippman + Rau Agency in Germany who organized and promoted the American Folk Blues Festivals from 1962 to 1980.
Doc Pomus - Lyricist on a number of rock and R&B classics with partner Mort Shuman including Save the Last Dance For Me, This Magic Moment, Little Sister and Viva Las Vegas.
Pervis Spann - The "blues man" of Chicago radio, he has been a major force in promoting blues in the Windy City for over four decades.

Classic Blues Recording - Single or Album Track

All Your Love - Magic Sam (Cobra, 1957)
It Hurts Me Too - Tampa Red (Bluebird, 1940)
Pine Top's Boogie Woogie - Pine Top Smith (Vocalion, 1928)

Classic Blues Recording - Album

Damn Right, I've Got the Blues - Buddy Guy (Silvertone, 1991)
Bad Influence - Robert Cray Band (HighTone, 1983)

Classic of Blues Literature

Bessie by Chris Albertson
The Voice of the Blues: Classic Interviews From Living Blues Magazine edited by Jim O'Neill and Amy van Singel