Page 68 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2017

Marking the Graves of Blues Greats

The Killer Blues Headstone Project

Story and Photos by Steve Salter

I grew up in the Midwest in the ‘50s and ‘60s listening St. Louis, MO, concerning the burial location of someone I
to AM pop radio, where I heard a broad spectrum of music. had been looking for. When we met in person in Chicago,
Soon my tastes were leaning toward the tough rhythm and we discovered we had an equal passion for honoring and
blues returning to the U.S. by British invasion bands like the recognizing the artists that created the blues. Soon after,
Rolling Stones, the Animals and Manfred Man. It wasn’t until Aaron became the vice president of the KBHP.
the ‘70s, that I actually started to educate myself on the history At the St. Louis Blues Festival in 2012, we had a booth
of the blues. where we displayed the actual headstone for Walter Davis,
I started my part-time business, Killer Blues, to sell CDs and which was going to be placed on his grave the next day in
t-shirts at blues festivals. My motto was “All Killer. No Filler.” St. Louis. Here, I was approached by a blues fan asking if
It was my intention to sell only music that I could personally we would take care of Eddie King’s headstone. A few months
recommend as “killer” blues. The blues festival circuit was a later, Aaron and I were at the cemetery in Peoria, IL, for the
great opportunity to see and talk with fans and musicians who placement ceremony of Eddie’s headstone with his family
were keeping the blues alive. and fans. We were subsequently invited back to the home of
I had been exploring the history of the blues in Chicago Eddie’s widow for the wake. An incredible meal of soul food
since the late ‘80s, but while doing research for my trip to was offered, as well as an impromptu reunion jam of Eddie’s
attend the Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans in band in the driveway of the home.
1997, I was saddened to learn some of my favorite blues Also that year, I was asked by blues writer Billy Hutchinson
artists were buried in the Chicago area lying in unmarked to help with a headstone for Richard “Hacksaw” Harney, who
graves. That was the beginning of my mission to ensure no was buried in a paupers cemetery located near a detention
blues artist or contributor to the music that I love so much center in Raymond, MS, a suburb of Jackson. Through the efforts
would be forgotten in such a way. I spent the next 11 years of numerous individuals and overcoming many obstacles,
researching and documenting the gravesites of blues artists we obtained permission to place the headstone. Hacksaw’s
and compiled a long list of those lying in unmarked graves. headstone was
In 2008, I decided to concentrate solely on placing delivered by
headstones. I began raising money for the project by Fed-Ex to my
putting on the White Lake Blues Festival in my hometown of front door,
Whitehall, MI. This fundraiser allowed me to place the first and my wife
official headstone for Big Maceo (a.k.a Major Merriweather) and KBHP
in Detroit. A year later, I applied for and received 501(c)(3) secretary, Leslie
nonprofit status for the Killer Blues Nonprofit Co., otherwise
known as the Killer Blues Headstone Project (KBHP), dedicated Members of Eddie
to providing headstones for blues artists lying in unmarked King’s band reunite for
graves. an impromptu jam at
In 2011, I received an email from Aaron Pritchard of his wake

66 Blues Festival Guide 2017