Son Seals
Son Seals (* 13. August 1942 in Osceola , Arkansas ; † 20th December 2004 in Chicago ) was an American Blues - musician .
Born in Osceola / Arkansas where he grew up, his father Jim "Son" Seals ran a juke joint. He started playing drums at the age of 13, first in Robert Nighthawk's band. At 16 he had also taught himself to play the guitar and performed at the T-99 Club with his brother-in-law Walter Jacobs (Little Walter). They stood there u. a. with Albert King, Bobby Bland, Junior Parker and Rosco Gordon on stage. When he was 19, he was performing very often at the Rebel Club in Osceola and when someone was looking for Little Walter for a record label, he was taken instead. His first band was called Son Seals & The Upsetters. In 1971 he went to Chicago, where Bruce Iglauer discovered him and signed him to Alligator Records. He performed frequently at the Flamingo Club on the south side of Chicago.
He released ten albums and had one of the biggest blues hits with “Funky Bitch”. His trademark was his excellent guitar playing and his rough blues voice. Despite a brief excursion into the funk beat scene, he has always remained true to the old style of the blues.
He started playing music at the age of 13 and founded his first band in 1959. His mentor was the guitarist Albert King . He performed with him and with blues stars like Earl Hooker and Robert Nighthawk .
In 1985, 1987 and 2001 Son Seals received the most prestigious award in the blues scene, the WC Handy Blues Award three times , and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2009 .
Throughout his life, Son Seals had many problems, not just health. 12 of the 14 children or stepchildren in the Seals family died, only he and his sister survived. His wife shot him in the chin during an argument. His leg had to be amputated because of diabetes. Almost all of his valuables were destroyed in a fire in his home and while he was performing, strangers broke into his home and stole his valuable guitar collection. Ultimately, he died as a result of his severe diabetes mellitus .
Web links
- Biography at Alligator Records (engl.)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Seals, Son |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American blues musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 13, 1942 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Osceola |
| DATE OF DEATH | December 20, 2004 |
| Place of death | Chicago |