Remembering Pinetop Perkins

Monday, March 21, 2011

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Pinetop Perkins sits on his front porch one evening at his home in Austin, ready to head out for the night.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins sits on his front porch one evening at his home in Austin, ready to head out for the night.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins sits on his front porch one evening at his home in Austin, ready to head out for the night. Pinetop is 96 years old and still plays piano in clubs.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins sips his coffee one evening at his home in Austin.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins takes a break from playing cards one evening at his home in Austin.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins takes a break from playing cards one evening at his home in Austin.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins takes a break from playing cards one evening at his home in Austin.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins plays cards one evening at his home in Austin. His socks and a trash can both have piano keys on them.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins plays solitare one evening at his home in Austin.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Grammy winning pianist Pinetop Perkins plays piano one evening at his home in Austin.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Grammy winning pianist Pinetop Perkins plays piano one evening at his home in Austin.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Grammy winning pianist Pinetop Perkins plays piano one evening at his home in Austin.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Caregiver Barry Nowlin helps Grammy winning pianist Pinetop Perkins get dressed one evening at his home in Austin before heading out for the night.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Caregiver Barry Nowlin helps Pinetop Perkins get dressed one evening at his home in Austin before heading out for the night.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins waves to a passing neighbor from the front porch of his house in Austin.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins sits on the front porch of his house in Austin.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Barry Nowlin gives Pinetop Perkins a quick shave on the front porch of his house in Austin.

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(Contributed item)

The 2008 CD "Pinetop Perkins and Friends" by Austin blues musician Pinetop Perkins.

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(Sung Park AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins performs at the Austin Music Awards at the Austin Music Hall in 2005.

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(Sung Park AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins performs at the Austin Music Awards at the Austin Music Hall. Perkins was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2005.

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(Rogelio V. Solis ASSOCIATED PRESS)

In this Oct. 11, 2009 photograph, blues bassist Bob Stroger, right, and Grammy winning blues pianist Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins mug for the photographers at the annual "Pinetop Perkins Homecoming" festival at Hopson Plantation in Clarksdale, Miss.

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(Rogelio V. Solis ASSOCIATED PRESS)

In this Oct. 11, 2009 photograph, blues singer and harps player Willie "Big Eyes" Smith left, joins drummer Jimmi Mayes, and Icelandic guitarist Halldor Bragason, right, in a number at the commissary of Hopson Plantation in Clarksdale, Miss., during the annual festival honoring Grammy winning blues pianist Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins. Perkins, 96.

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(Rogelio V. Solis ASSOCIATED PRESS)

In this Oct. 11, 2009 photograph, Grammy winning blues pianist Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins motions a "thumbs up" gesture during the annual festival at Hopson Plantation in Clarksdale, Miss., honoring him.

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(Rogelio V. Solis ASSOCIATED PRESS)

This is a Oct. 11, 2009 photograph of the "blues marker" outside the entrance to the plantation that honors Grammy winning blues pianist Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins and the Hopson Plantation in Clarksdale, Miss., for their contributions to the blues. Perkins formerly drove a tractor at the plantation in the 1940's.

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(Rogelio V. Solis ASSOCIATED PRESS)

In this Oct. 11, 2009 photograph, Grammy winning blues pianist Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins pulls a drag from what seems to be an ever present cigarette on his lips during the annual festival at Hopson Plantation in Clarksdale, Miss., honoring him.

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(Susan Antone)

Portrait of Pinetop Perkins in the 1980's.

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(Ashley Tucker)

Musician Pinetop Perkins with Barry Nowlin.

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(Courtesy of Jody Denberg)

Jody Denberg, Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin and Clifford Antone at the KGSR's Blues On The Green 2005 in Zilker Park.

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(Kevork Djansezian ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins accepts the award for best traditional blues album at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008, in Los Angeles.

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(Alex Jones for AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Blues musician Pinetop Perkins and Clifford Antone arrive at the premiere of "Antone's: Home of the Blues" at the Paramount Theater on Friday evening March 12, 2004.

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(Larry Kolvoord AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Legendary blues piano player Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins , 91, waits to be introduced outside Joslin Elementary School. He performed several blues songs on piano as part of the Black History Month celebration at the school in 2005.

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(Larry Kolvoord AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Ninety-one year-old blues musician "Pinetop" Perkins greets children at Joslin Elementary School following a short performance in the school cafeteria. The event was part of a Black History Month celebration at the school in 2005.

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(Larry Kolvoord AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Legendary blues piano player Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins enters the cafeteria at Joslin Elementary School accompanied by fifth grade teacher Kathleen Knox. Perkins played several blues songs for the children in 2005.

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(Larry Kolvoord AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Legendary local blues promoter Clifford Antone, left, speaks with legendary blues muscian Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins prior to Perkins' performance at Joslin Elementary School in 2005.

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(Larry Kolvoord AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Ninety four year-old blues musician Pinetop Perkins is still making music and was recently nominated for two Grammys. This photo was made outside Antone's in downtown Austin in 2007.

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(Larry Kolvoord AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Ninety four year-old blues musician Pinetop Perkins was recently nominated for two Grammys. This photo was made outside Antone's in downtown Austin in 2007.

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(Larry Kolvoord AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Legendary blues piano player Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins , 91, smokes a cigarette as he waits to be introduced outside Joslin Elementary School. He performed several blues songs on piano as part of the Black History Month celebration at the school in 2005.

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(Larry Kolvoord AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

The handle of 94 year-old blues musician, Pinetop Perkins' cane is decorated with a carved piano keyboard. Perkins, who played with some of the blues icons, has been nominated for two Grammys in 2007.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins, 96, sits at Antone's just before going on stage to perform with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, 74. They have recorded an album together, called Joined at the Hip.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins, 96, left, and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, 74, right, after they played at Antone's on Wednesday night with Amazing Jimmi Mayes on drums, Bob Stroger on bass, and Little Frank Krakowski on guitar.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins, 96, plays at Antone's with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, 74 on harmonica and vocals, Amazing Jimmi Mayes on drums, Bob Stroger on bass (background) and Little Frank Krakowski on guitar.

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(Laura Skelding AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins, 96, plays at Antone's with Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, 74 on harmonica and vocals, Amazing Jimmi Mayes on drums, Bob Stroger on bass and Little Frank Krakowski on guitar, far left.

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(Kelly West AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins, with his caretaker, Rosalyn Shelton, listen to bands perform during a tribute to Clifford Antone at his club, Antone's in 2006.

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(Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins accepts the award for Antone's as Best Live Music Venue at the Austin Music Awards at the Austin Music Hall during the SXSW Music Festival on Wednesday March 18, 2009.

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(Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins listens during his 95th birthday party at Antone's on Monday July 7, 2008.

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(Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins performs at Antone's on his 95th birthday on Monday July 7, 2008.

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(Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

Pinetop Perkins performs at Antone's on his 95th birthday on Monday July 7, 2008.

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