Paying Tribute to Two Musical Giants Who Passed Away this Week

This past weekend saw the passing of two musical giants:

Hubert Sumlin died on December 4th from heart failure. As the featured guitarist with Howlin’ Wolf for nearly 20 years, Sumlin’s piercing fretwork lit up such blues classics as ‘Smokestack Lightin’, ‘Killin’ Floor’, ‘Spoonful’, ‘Evil’, and ‘Hidden Charms’, among many. He was a major influence on Jimi Hendrix (who called him his favorite guitarist), Eric Clapton, David Johansen, Levon Helm and Keith Richards, who reportedly paid for Sumlin’s medical expenses in recent years. Despite failing health, Sumlin continued to make appearances, sometimes wearing an oxygen mask. Hubert Sumlin was 80 years old.

Soul singer Howard Tate passed away on December 2, 2011, from complications of myeloma and leukemia. Beloved by musicians and critics, Tate recorded the seminal versions of songs that became signature songs for other artists: ‘Get It While You Can’ (Janis Joplin), ‘How Blue Can You Get’ (B.B. King), ‘Stop’ (Al Kooper and Jimi Hendrix). After dropping out of the business in the late 70’s, Tate fell on hard times which included bouts with drug dependency and homelessness. The last two decades of his life, Tate rebounded, becoming a counseling drug abusers and the mentally ill. He also returned to recording and performing, releasing several critically acclaimed albums. Howard Tate was 72.