In Memoriam – Son Seals
I found out on Friday that Frank “Son” Seals left us on December 20th, 2004 due to complications with diabetes. I think that’s #3 on the list of top ways for a bluesman to go behind “Being shot in Memphis” and alcohol/drugs.
Seriously though…
Son was one of the first blues guys that really blew me away. I found out about him after hearing “Stacy Mitchhart and Blues-U-Can-Use” do his song “Frigidaire Woman”. I loved it so much that I had to found out who originally recorded it. When I was with Fat Rudy, we used to do “Funky Bitch” on stage at every show. I was also lucky enough to see Son play at First Avenue in about 1997.
My favorite summation of Son Seals was as follows:
Mr. Seals played guitar “like his live depended on it” said Bruce Iglauer, Alligator founder and president. “Part of it was his sheer intensity. He didn’t really play the guitar, he attacked it. And that’s the way he approached his vocals, too. He didn’t ask you to listen, he bullied you into it.”
Son had a rough time his last 10 years – he got shot in the jaw by his wife, he lost part of his leg (also from diabetes), he had his mobile home burn down AND he had his custom guitar stolen.
We’ll miss you..