SR0243 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0243 LRB101 07037 ALS 56100 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Eddie C. Campbell, who passed away on November 20, 2018 at the age of 79; and

WHEREAS, Eddie Campbell was born in Duncan, Mississippi on May 6, 1939 to parents who were sharecroppers; when he was six, he moved with his family to Chicago, where his mother bought him his first guitar and took him to the old 1125 Club on West Madison Street; shortly after, she introduced him to her friend, Muddy Waters, and by the age of 12, he was sitting in with Waters's band; and

WHEREAS, As a teenager, Eddie Campbell played in a band with his neighbor, Luther Allison, and later with Little Walter, who was known for revolutionizing the harmonica; he also played sideman with Howlin' Wolf and Little Johnny Taylor; he had a knack for boxing and won 16 heavyweight fights in a row and was once booked to fight a Golden Gloves match against a young Cassius Clay, later known as heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali; his professional boxing career came to an end when he broke his leg in a motorcycle accident; and

WHEREAS, In 1963, Eddie Campbell became the bandleader for Jimmy Reed and adopted Reed's minimalist guitar playing and slurred singing style; he also played with Willie Dixon's Chicago Blues All Stars and Koko Taylor; during this time, he was known to dress, drive, and perform flamboyantly; he rode a purple Honda 750 motorcycle; speaking with a newspaper, he once said, "I have my own true sound"; he also noted, "I write my own music, I arrange my own music, from bass to the horns," not as a blues purist but with hints of rock; in 1977, he released his first LP, King of the Jungle, and the cover featured him in a fur vest with a full Afro; the opening track of the album, Santa's Messing with the Kid, became a Christmas staple and was covered by Lynyrd Skynyrd; and

WHEREAS, In the 1980s, Eddie Campbell was in Europe, touring and living in the Netherlands and Germany; while overseas, he met his wife, Barbara, who became his manager; they returned to the United States in 1992; he then released several more albums, including the last two with Chicago's historic Delmark Records; his final album, Spider Eating Preacher, was released in 2012 and earned a 2013 American Blues Award nomination for best traditional blues album; and

WHEREAS, Eddie Campbell suffered through health difficulties that limited his guitar playing in 2013; however, he still played the harmonica and sang during appearances in the Chicago area; he "epitomized the West Side sound, which included R&B and soul," and while he had an excellent voice, he was an acclaimed guitarist and songwriter; and

WHEREAS, Eddie Campbell is survived by his wife, Barbara; his daughter, Sheba; and his son, David; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Eddie C. Campbell and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Eddie Campbell as an expression of our deepest sympathy.