In Memoriam
Koko Taylor
September 28, 1928 – June 3, 2009 · aged 80
Chicago Blues · Soul Blues
Cora Walton, known globally as Koko Taylor, was the undisputed 'Queen of the Blues.' Born on a sharecropper's farm in Tennessee in 1928, she moved to Chicago in the 1950s with nothing but a dream and a fiercely powerful voice. Discovered by blues legend Willie Dixon, Taylor brought a raw, guttural ferocity to the traditionally male-dominated Chicago blues scene. Her 1965 million-selling hit 'Wang Dang Doodle' became an instant blues standard, showcasing her gritty, booming vocals that could effortlessly cut through a loud electric band. For over four decades, she toured relentlessly, becoming a maternal figure in the blues community and winning countless W.C. Handy Awards (now Blues Music Awards) and a Grammy. Taylor continued to perform until just weeks before her death. She passed away following surgical complications on June 3, 2009, at the age of 80, leaving her throne unmatched in the blues world.
Milestones
Wang Dang Doodle, What It Takes: The Chess Years
Also remembered in 2009
- Les Paul (1915–2009)
- Mary Travers (1936–2009)
- Michael Jackson (1958–2009)
- Ron Asheton (1948–2009)