NEWS

To help celebrate WORLD CAFE'S 20th Anniversary, they are airing a feature
this week (10/12 - 10/18/2011) on BLUES & GOSPEL, which features
Koko Taylor and Mavis Staples. Definitely check it out!

NPR’s World Café with host David Dye can be heard on over 200 stations nationwide. Fans can find their local station link by selecting a state from the pull-down menu here.
 

Chicago Blues Festival
June 11 - 13, 2010

Blues Foundation Press Release
April 20, 2010

DEBUT OF KOKO TAYLOR AWARD AT BLUES MUSIC AWARDS MAY 6

Less than three weeks before its 31st annual Blues Music Awards gala event, The Blues Foundation is pleased to announce that, beginning this year, the award for the Best Traditional Female Artist category will be hereafter known as the Koko Taylor Award. The first-ever Koko Taylor award will be handed out to one of five nominees at the Blues Music Awards gala event in Memphis on May 6, 2010.

The re-designation of the category is in honor of deceased blues legend Koko Taylor, known to many as the Queen of the Blues. Taylor, an inducted member of the Blues Hall of Fame, not only received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Blues Foundation in 1999, but also received a record 29 Blues Music Awards out of 37 Blues Music Award nominations total. The Blues Music Awards ceremony itself also has a special connection to Taylor, who held her final live performance at last year's gala. You can still purchase a DVD from last year's awards show.

A non-profit organization dedicated to the past, present and future of blues music, The Blues Foundation is pleased to bestow this (sadly posthumous) honor on the quintessential female figure in Blues music, especially in a year when its Board has elected it first female president, Pat Morgan.

"Koko was not the first, but she was the first of the modern female blues singers," stated Executive Director Jay Sieleman. "She started in the '50s and never stopped. She was the 'Queen of Blues' until the very end, and we're delighted to honor her by renaming the category she dominated for most of the Blues Music Awards' 31 years of existence."

Sieleman added that Taylor has already inspired many current female artists, including a number of this year's female nominees.

Australian Blues singer Fiona Boyes, a nominee for this year's Koko Taylor Award, expressed how grateful she is to have been able to finally see Taylor perform live, at last year's awards. A long-time fan, she added, "When I first heard Koko Taylor, the resonance for me was profound. Here was someone that took all that raw energy and electricity and spoke, graciously yet powerfully, for the women."

Zora Young, another nominee for the Koko Taylor Award, agreed. "I knew her over 40 years, and she was a wonderful mentor for me. I was so proud to know her and call her a good friend," she stated. "As I travel along the blues highway, I see so many tryin' to carry on her legacy. Many emulate, but none will ever duplicate."

Speaking not only for herself but also the entire Blues community, nominee Ann Rabson noted the significance of this award category taking on Koko Taylor's name: "She has inspired generations of blues artists with her professionalism and grit, thrilled millions of fans with music from her soul, and touched many, many lives with her warmth. We will miss her sorely, but her music and legacy will live forever."

The 31st Annual Blues Music Awards - the highest honor given to Blues artists - will take place Thursday, May 6 at the Memphis Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis. Tickets are still available at www.blues.org or call 901-527-2583.

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO'S MOUNTAIN STAGE HONORS KOKO TAYLOR
posted 1/6/2010

The National Public Radio program Mountain Stage honored late Grammy-winning Queen Of The Blues Koko Taylor with a rebroadcast of her 1994 appearance on the show.  Hand-picked by host and producer Larry Groce, the program is kicking off the decade by paying tribute to artists who have appeared during its 26-year history.
The performance can be heard here.

"Pickin' The Chicken When The Water is Hot"
Tribute to Koko Taylor by Don Wilcock, BluesWax

WAKE/VISITATION AND FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
FOR KOKO TAYLOR

Wake/Visitation (Lie in State)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
4:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Rainbow Push Coalition National Headquarters
930 East 50th Street (at Drexel)
Chicago, IL  60615

Funeral Services
Friday, June 12, 2009
6:00 pm
(4:00 pm - 6:00 pm Visitation)
Rainbow Push Coalition National Headquarters
930 East 50th Street (at Drexel) 
Chicago, IL  60615

“QUEEN OF THE BLUES” KOKO TAYLOR 1928 - 2009
from Alligator Records, posted: 06/03/2009

Grammy Award-winning blues legend Koko Taylor, 80, died on June 3, 2009 in her hometown of Chicago, IL, as a result of complications following her May 19 surgery to correct a gastrointestinal bleed. On May 7, 2009, the critically acclaimed Taylor, known worldwide as the “Queen of the Blues,” won her 29th Blues Music Award (for Traditional Female Blues Artist Of The Year), making her the recipient of more Blues Music Awards than any other artist. In 2004 she received the NEA National Heritage Fellowship Award, which is among the highest honors given to an American artist. Her most recent CD, 2007’s Old School, was nominated for a Grammy (eight of her nine Alligator albums were Grammy-nominated). She won a Grammy in 1984 for her guest appearance on the compilation album Blues Explosion on Atlantic.

Born Cora Walton on a sharecropper’s farm just outside Memphis, TN, on September 28, 1928, Koko, nicknamed for her love of chocolate, fell in love with music at an early age. Inspired by gospel music and WDIA blues disc jockeys B.B. King and Rufus Thomas, Taylor began belting the blues with her five brothers and sisters, accompanying themselves on their homemade instruments. In 1952, Taylor and her soon-to-be-husband, the late Robert “Pops” Taylor, traveled to Chicago with nothing but, in Koko’s words, “thirty-five cents and a box of Ritz Crackers.”

In Chicago, “Pops” worked for a packing company, and Koko cleaned houses. Together they frequented the city’s blues clubs nightly. Encouraged by her husband, Koko began to sit in with the city’s top blues bands, and soon she was in demand as a guest artist. One evening in 1962 Koko was approached by arranger/composer Willie Dixon. Overwhelmed by Koko’s performance, Dixon landed Koko a Chess Records recording contract, where he produced her several singles, two albums and penned her million-selling 1965 hit “Wang Dang Doodle,” which would become Taylor’s signature song.

After Chess Records was sold, Taylor found a home with the Chicago’s Alligator Records in 1975 and released the Grammy-nominated I Got What It Takes. She recorded eight more albums for Alligator between 1978 and 2007, received seven more Grammy nominations and made numerous guest appearances on various albums and tribute recordings. Koko appeared in the films Wild At Heart, Mercury Rising and Blues Brothers 2000. She performed on Late Night With David Letterman, Late Night With Conan O’Brien, CBS-TV’s This Morning, National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, CBS-TV’s Early Edition, and numerous regional television programs.

Over the course of her 40-plus-year career, Taylor received every award the blues world has to offer. On March 3, 1993, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley honored Taylor with a “Legend Of The Year” Award and declared “Koko Taylor Day” throughout Chicago. In 1997, she was inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame. A year later, Chicago Magazine named her “Chicagoan Of The Year” and, in 1999, Taylor received the Blues Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2009 Taylor performed in Washington, D.C. at The Kennedy Center Honors honoring Morgan Freeman.

Koko Taylor was one of very few women who found success in the male-dominated blues world. She took her music from the tiny clubs of Chicago’s South Side to concert halls and major festivals all over the world. She shared stages with every major blues star, including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, B.B. King, Junior Wells and Buddy Guy as well as rock icons Robert Plant and Jimmy Page.

Taylor’s final performance was on May 7, 2009 in Memphis at the Blues Music Awards, where she sang “Wang Dang Doodle” after receiving her award for Traditional Blues Female Artist Of The Year.

Survivors include Taylor’s husband Hays Harris, daughter Joyce Threatt, son-in-law Lee Threatt, grandchildren Lee, Jr. and Wendy, and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements will be announced.

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Koko Taylor is the great female blues singer of her generation. Raw vocal power and blustery swagger.”
– Rolling Stone

Koko Taylor is a national treasure…she packs firepower a lot of youngsters only wish they had.
– Chicago Tribune

Koko Taylor is the blues…a growling goddess of down-and-dirty. Sheer, unstoppable shouting power, full steam ahead and damn the torpedoes. There are many kings of the blues but only one queen. Koko’s voice is capable of pinning a listener to the back wall.
– Boston Globe

Raucous, gritty, good-time blues…Taylor belts out blues in a gravel voice with ferocious intensity. Foot-stomping music that’ rough, raw and wonderfully upbeat.
-- People

Chicago’s best blues singer…she has fire in her lungs.
--Chicago Sun-Times

2009 Blues Music Awards:  Queen Koko Retains Her Throne
posted May 8, 2009

Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor is the recipient of the Blues Foundation's 2009 Blues Music Award, in the "Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year" category.  This is her 29th career award, more than any other blues artist to date.  The Awards show was held Thursday, May  7, at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, TN.

Kennedy Center Honors:
posted December 30, 2008

Koko was honored to perform at the 31st Annual Kennedy Center Honors, which paid tribute to Morgan Freeman, George Jones, Barbra Streisand, Twyla Tharp, and Pete Townshend & Roger Daltrey.

More Awards and Nominations:
via press release from Alligator Records, posted 11/21/2008

Koko Taylor has received the Blues Blast Award for Best Female Artist from Blues Blast Magazine.  The award ceremony, was held on November 2, 2008 at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago. Blues Blast Magazine is a free weekly “web-zine” available from Illinoisblues.com.

Koko has also been nominated in the Blues Entertainer Of The Year Category in the The 28th Annual Chicago Music Awards, presented by Martin's International Culture.  The Awards show will be held on January 18, 2009 at the Park West in Chicago. The Chicago Music Awards recognize outstanding hometown talent and pay tribute to Chicago's rich and diverse musical heritage.
 

Koko Taylor and Marcia Ball Receive Living Blues Awards!
press release from Alligator Records, posted 10/15/2008

Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor and singer/pianist Marcia Ball
each received prestigious Living Blues Awards, Living Blues magazine announced.

In the Critics’ Poll, Taylor took the award for Blues Artist Of The Year (Female).  In the Readers’ Poll, Taylor took that same honor, as well as the award for Best Blues Album Of The Year for her critically acclaimed CD, OLD SCHOOL. Ball won for Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard) in the Readers’ Poll.

15th ANNUAL LIVING BLUES AWARDS READERS’ POLL
KOKO TAYLOR
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)

MARCIA BALL
Most Outstanding Musician (Keyboard)

15th ANNUAL LIVING BLUES AWARDS CRITICS’ POLL
KOKO TAYLOR
Blues Artist Of The Year (Female)

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The Blues Machine, Koko Taylor's Band, Injured in Van Accident
press release from Alligator Records, posted 08/26/2008

The Blues Machine, Koko Taylor’s band, was involved in a serious van accident near Black River Falls, Wisconsin early morning on Saturday, August 23. Koko was not in the van at the time. The van was the only vehicle involved in the accident. They were on their way to Thief River Falls, Minnesota for a concert and planned to meet Koko there.

Traveling were guitarist Calvin Louden, guitarist Shunsuke Kikuta, bassist Ricky Nelson, drummer Brian Parker, keyboardist Stanley Banks, driver Jesse Hutson and road manager Lee Threatt (husband to Joyce “Cookie” Threatt, Koko’s daughter).

Louden, Kikuta, Nelson, Parker, and Banks all suffered broken bones and required surgery.  Hutson and Threatt were treated and released from the hospital

There were no life-threatening injuries and all are expected to make full recoveries.

Cards can be sent to individual band members care of Alligator Records, P.O. Box 60234, Chicago IL  60660.

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2008 Blues Music Awards
"And the winner is...."
posted 5/09/2008
 

KOKO TAYLOR!!
Traditional Blues Album of the Year: Old School

KOKO TAYLOR!!
Song of the Year: Gonna Buy Me A Mule, written by Koko Taylor

KOKO TAYLOR!!
Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year

Health Update
by Beverly Howell
posted 2/16/2008 - 1:00 pm CST

We are receiving numerous inquiries regarding rumors that Koko had a heart attack in the last few days.   This is NOT TRUE.  She was discharged last night from Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, where she was being treated with antibiotics for pneumonia-like symptoms.  She is feeling a bit better and recuperating at home.

"Koko has been touring back and forth between very cold and warm climates (i.e., Chicago and Jamaica).  Her doctors thought this might have weakened her immune system,"  said Koko's daughter Joyce ("Cookie") Threatt.

Joyce also added, "We extend our heartfelt thanks for all the prayers and messages that we and Mama's management have received."

Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor
To Perform Live at Grammy Awards Pre-Telecast Show
from Alligator Records  posted 02/01/2008

Legendary blues singer Koko Taylor will join pianist Pinetop Perkins, guitarist Honeyboy Edwards and a full band in a live performance of Let The Good Times Roll. The performance will take place during the 50th Annual Grammy Awards pre-telecast presentation ceremony. The ceremony will air live on www.grammy.com from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm on Sunday, February 10.  Taylor is nominated for a Grammy Award in the Traditional Blues category for her stellar 2007 release, Old School.

“Old School” Rules!!!
by Donna Johnston  posted 12/13/07

Koko’s 2007 release, Old School, has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. The 50th Annual Grammy Awards will be presented at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 10, 2008.

Old School was also nominated in the Best Blues Album/CD category of the 27th Annual Chicago Music Awards, which will be handed out at the Park West in Chicago on January 27, 2008.

And save May 8 for the 29th Blues Music Awards celebration at the Grand Casino and Hotel in Tunica, Mississippi. Koko has been nominated for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year, while Old School has been recognized in both the Album of the Year and Traditional Blues Album of the Year categories. In addition, an album cut written by Koko, “Gonna Buy Me a Mule,” has also been nominated for Song of the Year.

Alligator Press Release

Hear  three complete tracks from OLD SCHOOL on Koko's Myspace page!

Koko Taylor Receives Lifetime Music Achievement Award
by Donna Johnston  posted 12/13/07

At the 11th Annual W. C. Handy Heritage Awards held in Memphis on November 18, 2007, Koko was recognized with a Lifetime Music Achievement Award. The W. C. Handy Heritage Awards honor scores of Memphis musicians who have continued Handy’s great legacy, and the Lifetime Music Achievement Award represents the highest honor given out by the sponsoring organization.

The City of Memphis also showed its appreciation by presenting Koko with a Key to the City. Not to be outdone, the State of Tennessee added a governor’s award and proclamation from the state legislature to her honors.
 

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