Burton Gaar has Passed, Bluestock and more
(Memphis, Tennessee) Sadly Blues performer Burton Gaar from Louisiana has passed away over the weekend. Here is his published obituary:
“William Burton Gaar, Sr., age 68 of LeCompte, passed away Sunday, July 10, 2011, at Grace Home after a brief battle with cancer. Memorial service will be Tuesday, July 12, 2011, at White Oaks Funeral Home, 6324 Masonic Drive, Alexandria. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until the service at 2:00 p.m.
Burton was born on October 31, 1942, to Masquelette and Mary T. Gaar in Baton Rouge.
He was a longtime blues musician, singer, and songwriter/producer.
Burton was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Bobby Gaar.
He is survived by the love of his life of 47 years, Faye Clark Gaar; his two sons, William Burton Gaar, Jr. (Becky) of Tupelo, Mississippi, and Steven Louis Gaar (Marla) of Alexandria; brothers, Massey Gaar, Pensacola, Florida, Jack Gaar, Henderson, Nevada, John Gaar (Saundra), Austin, Texas, sister, Mary Gaar Myers (Brent), Woodworth; nine grandchildren, and a host of nieces and nephews and musician friends.
Special thanks to Dr. Kelly Letsinger and the nurses and staff at Christus Grace Home.”
Blues Foundation president, Sirius/XM Radio host and all around great guy Bill Wax will be honoring Burton with a musical tribute this afternoon at 5 PM eastern time on the XM Blues Channel.
Burton’s music can be found at his web site here:
BLUES FOUNDATION HAS MOVED INTO NEW SOUTH MAIN ARTS DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS
Original painting of South Main Street, Copyright, Wayne Russell, 2011
After 30 years of struggle, hard work and flourishing with success, the Blues Foundation, the preeminent supporters and advocates for the genre and its musicians, has found a beautiful new home on South Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee. They are now operating at 421 South Main, Suite 104 in Downtown Memphis.
BLUESTOCK 2011
Our good friends Steve and Jeff Simon are producing yet another big Blues show, this time in Hunter Mountain, New York, August 26-28. Among the Blues luminaries to be featured at the big show are Curtis Salgado, Greg Allman, Buddy Guy, Tab Benoit, Elvin Bishop, Zac Harmon, Bob Margolin and Matt Hill, the Reba Russell Band, Bruce Katz, Moreland and Arbuckle. Here’s a link to the full schedule:
http://www.bluestock.com/schedule/
Here’s where to get your tickets for this first rate blockbuster show:
http://www.bluestock.com/tickets/
RCT
Copyright, Robert “Nighthawk” Tooms, 2011
