LUTHER ALLISON DIES OF CANCER
Born in Widener, Arkansas on August 17, 1939, Allison moved to Chicago at the age of 13 with his family. In his formative musical years in the city, he jammed with the West Side's best, including Magic Sam, Otis Rush, and Freddie King. His first album, Love Me Mama (Delmark, 1969), is considered a blues classic. Allison came to national prominence with blistering performances at the 1969 and 1970 Ann Arbor Blues Festivals, wowing young rock fans with his scorching guitar solos and soulful vocals. He became the first blues act to sign with Motown Records in 1971, subsequently releasing three records for the label. He toured nationally throughout the 1970s but impressed by the response of the European fans, he decided to move to Paris in 1984. He continued to release albums (many issued only in Europe) and tour incessantly, eventually becoming a European blues superstar. He also made a tour to Japan just once in 1990. Since signing with Alligator in 1994, Allison launched a major American comeback. 1994's Soul Fixin' Man, 1995's Blue Streak and the new release, Reckless, provided a launching pad for Allison and his searing brand of hard blues. Besides his recent W.C. Handy Awards, Allison scored a host of Living Blues Awards (including 10 last year and three more this year), won five Handy Awards last year, and was featured on the covers of the three major national blues publications, Living Blues, Blues Access, and Blues Revue (who dubbed him "The New King Of The Blues"). He appeared on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, National Public Radio's All Things Considered, and The House Of Blues Radio Hour. Reckless has been on the Billboard Blues Chart for 12 weeks, and has topped the Living Blues Radio Charts since May. Throughout it all, Allison delivered one show-stopping performance after another (many clocking in between three and four hours) during his recent 1997 North American tour, with appearances at the Beale Street Music Festival, Eureka Springs Blues Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Milwaukee Summerfest, Monterey Bay Blues Festival and the Santa Cruz Blues Festival, among many others. His boundless energy and fierce guitar attack combined to make Allison a favorite among blues and rock fans alike. Survivors include Allison's wife and road manager, Carolyn "Rocky" Brown; Mrs. Fannie Mae Allison; sons Luther T. and Bernard; stepchildren Carolyn, Frank, Juliette, Rose, Joanne, Ray and Connie; 3 brothers; 2 sisters; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, August 17 with visitation from 3:00-7:00 P.M. at Piser Funeral Home, 5206 North Broadway, Chicago, IL. A memorial jam session will follow at Buddy Guy's Legends, 754 S. Wabash. Contributions may be sent to the following address specifying "Luther Allison Fund" on the check. The Blues Community Foundation
The original release articles can be found on the following sites. Alligator Records
   
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Award winning blues superstar Luther Allison died
Tuesday, August 12 at approximately 2:30 a.m. in Madison, WI, from cancer. The critically
acclaimed Allison, who recently won three W.C. Handy Awards (including his second
consecutive Blues Enteratiner Of The Year award), was diagnosed with inoperable lung
cancer and metastatic brain tumors on July 10 after the show in Madison that night.
He was 57. It is really sad that a man finally enjoying his best success of life
had to end it this way.