Eddie Kirkland died on February 27 in Tampa, Florida. He was killed in a car accident while driving to a gig. He was 87.

A monster of a guitar player and a thrilling performer with a deep history within the blues community, Kirkland toured for 8 years with John Lee Hooker, was a bandleader for Otis Redding and played with Little Richard and Ben E. King, among many others. But despite his formidable credentials, Kirkland never broke out of the hardcore blues circuit to a wider audience.

Mr. Kirkland became known for his impassioned singing; wailing guitar lines (he was among the first to bring blues guitar into the electric age); vibrant stage presence (he favored bravura headgear like turbans and huge bandannas); and boundless energy, expressed not only musically but also acrobatically.”

The New York Times obituary here.

Eddie Kirkland with Foghat at the Palladium in New York City, 1977. Fuck yeah!
The Foghat footage is followed by a fan made video from last year of Eddie in rehearsal.