R.I.P.
KBB
Richard Newell a.k.a. King Biscuit Boy 1944-2003
Some of Richard Newell's closest friends and admirers have planned a major tribute which will include dozens of musicians who played with and were influenced by King Biscuit Boy. Scheduled performers include original members of Crowbar, Kelly Jay, Sonny del Rio, Harrison Kennedy, and many more. The date is Tuesday, Feb. 11th at 7pm at CLUB 77, 77 King William Street (at Catherine), Hamilton Ontario 905-741-7625. Tickets are $10. For more info, email rnrzoner@attcanada.ca.
On January 5th, Canada lost a great bluesman. Richard Newell, aka King Biscuit Boy was born on March 9th, 1944 in Hamilton. He died unexpectedly in his sleep, comfortably resting near his TV and his telephone.
Newell's harmonica prowess was legendary. He was widely considered one of the best in the world, and was certainly a pioneer in the Canadian blues scene. His admirers included Keith Richards, Paul McCartney, Huey Lewis and countless others. He performed with many of the greats, including Muddy Waters, Joe Cocker, Etta James, The Meters, and of course, Ronnie Hawkins, who is credited with discovering him. It was Hawkins who gave Newell the Biscuit moniker, one he was never actually comfortable with. (The nickname came from the King Biscuit Flour Hour radio show in Arkansas because Newell's playing reminded Hawkins of its host, Sonny Boy Williamson.) He spent years working alongside Canadian rock history makers, Crowbar. He earned two Juno nominations - one in 1988 for Richard Newell aka King Biscuit Boy, and one in 1996 for Urban Blues Re: Newell, plus a Great Canadian Blues Award from CBC's Saturday Night Blues.
On a personal note, whenever I'm asked about how I got started in the blues, I credit Richard as one of the main reasons. His kindness, his help, and his encouragement were something I'll never forget. He exposed me to countless recordings and let me borrow them as I was learning to play, saving me endless hours of research and legwork. Getting to share a stage with him on occasion years later will always remain some of my most treasured memories. I will miss him.
Here are just a few excerpts from some of the moving tributes from friends and colleagues of Richard in the days following the news of his death.
Kelly Jay: "I declared it official a long time ago. He was the best. We knew it from the giddy-up. You just had to hear him. I was literally in awe of his talent. He was one of the most maddening characters but you had to love him for his sense of humour and his whole take on our world. He was a warm, dear, dear friend who had a soft spot that filled his whole heart. I've spent my whole bloody life, it seems, singing the praises of Richard Newell. I just hope he's saving a little place for me in heaven."
Guitar Mikey: "Richard Newell a.k.a. King Biscuit Boy was everyone's mentor. I knew him personally as few had and although obviously a man with demons, he was a man who cared about his friends and about the music. He exposed everyone around him to this American cultural staple `The Blues' starting from his adolescence, when he had to go to Buffalo NY to get the latest Jimmy Reed records. He would then bring them back to share with his friends. I myself worked with many musicians who were hugely influenced by Richard's own records before ever having a chance to meet him. I can imagine how any person who worked with Richard for any amount of time, would see the experience as being invaluable to their growth as a musician.
Richard was everyone's mentor but unlike most, I stayed well after class ended and got to know him as few would. For a few years Rich's home became my second. I was there 3 or 4 nights a week from after dinner to the wee hours of the morning. I got to know him away from the booze, bars and the scene. That Richard was a generous loyal friend. One of the most intelligent, funniest men I will ever know. All I remember is laughing a lot. He treated me as he called me - his `little brother'. Over the years I saw less and less of this Richard but this is the Richard I remember." (From www.therealthing.com)
Eddy B: "Although Rich was only a few years older than myself he was a dear friend, a Blues legend and hero to me. He was the first artist to put Canada on the Blues map world wide. We talked a lot over the years on the phone and when there was a chance to see him perform locally I was there. I realized I still had his Christmas day message on my answering machine. I know that I will not be able to talk to him again and it broke my heart when I heard him say at the end of the message "Love ya". Love ya back Richard and I'll never forget our times together."
Gary Curtis: "I've torn the flesh from my lips trying to get that Biscuit harp sound, and I can't do it, not even close. I even got the same kind of Dictaphone mike that he used on Ranky Tanky, and mounted it on a slide on the back edge of the harp to see if I could duplicate that effect. No dice, no way. No player anywhere, anytime, can get it right. At Rich's gigs the harp players were always in the front row, watching every subtle thing he did."
Paul Panchezak: "Clearly he was at another level. And as a fellow musician, he could bring things out in you you didn't know you had. No one played the blues in Hamilton before King Biscuit Boy. He created a Hamilton sound, what he called the TH&B sound. Everyone who plays blues in this city, whether they know it or not, has been influenced by King Biscuit Boy. And to me, he was the older brother I never had."
Ronnie Hawkins: "He was one of the great ones, boy. He was one of the most talented kids I'd ever seen."
- Lily Sazz