In Memoriam: Eddie Kirkland, The Blues Man
- March 5, 2011
- 0 Comments
- By Surf Guru
In Memoriam: Eddie Kirkland, The Blues Man
On February 19, 2011, Cocoa Beach was treated to blues star Eddie Kirkland at the Beach Shack. At 87 years old, Eddie has been playing guitar and singing for the last eight decades, and touring for more than half a century.
It was with a sad heart that I recently learned of Eddie’s death, which occurred almost exactly one week after this show (this past Sunday, February 27, 2011). Kirkland was killed not from old age, but from a car wreck in Dunedin, FL, where he had played the last show of his career the night before.
I had the unique privilege of interviewing this legend before he played the Beach Shack show—a privilege made that much more poignant after hearing of his death. I am so thankful I got my chance to meet him while he was still here.
From the interview, I learned just how important Kirkland was to The Blues. He got his start in the music industry by backing the legendary John Lee Hooker in the 50s and 60s. Over the years, he recorded several albums and also played his funky brand of electric delta blues with the likes of Otis Redding and the blues-rock band Foghat. With the exception of a few years’ sabbatical from the music industry in the sixties, Kirkland toured the U.S. and Europe non-stop for decades, driving himself to his own gigs for typically 40 weeks out of the year.
When asked why he has spent slightly less time on the road in recent years, Eddie surprised me by NOT citIng the fact that he was nearly 90 years old. Instead he simply claimed, “gas prices.”
The Blues music fans of Cocoa Beach were so lucky that Eddie did schedule us in for his last tour. Backed by local players, the “Energy Man” really blew us away with his performance—unique, thumb pick and fingers style guitar playing, quintessential raspy and soulful blues vocals, and tons of charisma on stage.
The Beach Shack regulars showed up in full force for Eddie and were clearly so excited to have him in town as they were on their feet, hooting and hollering for him the whole time he played.
Eddie truly lived up to his reputation as the “Blues Man,” and even when I asked him about how other styles of music may influence his playing, Eddie suggested that he is not involved in any other type of music because:
“I’m trying to give something to the blues… not just take it away. The blues haven’t been treated fair. [Other styles of music] steal from the blues and call it something else. I’m trying to do something with the blues to make it stand out that much longer.”
Coming from the longevity expert, the life-long Energy Man, I believe Eddie has accomplished exactly that. Rest in Peace Eddie Kirkland.
If you wish to make a donation, a memorial fund for Eddie has been established:
Camden National Bank
Eddie Kirkland Memorial Fund
124 Main Street
Phillips, ME 04966
Thanks Courtney from SurfGuru.com
Beach Shack, 1 Minutemen Cswy
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
www.beachshackbar.com/