The Blues world mourns the recent passing of Chicago blues legend, LINSEY ALEXANDER, aka The Hoochie Man!
Tributes / 02.24.2025
They are leaving us: Linsey Alexander…
Linsey Alexander (1942-2025)
Born in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Linsey Alexander moved to Memphis with his mother at age 12 and soon, thanks to a family friend, developed an interest in the guitar. At 17, he pawned his guitar to finance a trip to Chicago to follow a girl. Once in town, he worked a variety of odd jobs—cooking, car salesman, gas station attendant, delivery boy, etc. While he didn’t get his first instrument back, he soon bought a new guitar and made a name for himself on the South Side with his band, the Hot Tomatoes. Eager to improve, he formed another ensemble, The Equitable Band, which played regularly for eight years at the Launching Pad Lounge and at parties.
He also played for a time with drummer Red Saunders. His popularity in the South Side clubs then allowed him to access those of the North Side like BLUES and the Kingston Mines. Discovered by a wider audience, including tourists, at the heart of the “blues boom” of the 1990s, he released from the end of the 1990s a series of self-produced records or published on small local labels: the EP “Blues’n More” in 1998, then the albums “Someone’s Cookin’ In My Kitchen”, “My Days Are So Long” (with Chico Banks and Carlos Showers) and “If You Ain’t Got It”. If these records each have their charm, the economical production conditions as well as the absence of distribution do not allow them to be heard outside Chicago.
The release in 2012 of a first Delmark album, “Been There Done That”, hailed by 4 stars in the columns of Soul Bag , changed all that, and in the process Alexander made his debut on the European stages as part of the 2013 Chicago Blues Festival tour, where his band accompanied Nelly “Tiger” Travis and Harmonica Hinds. A second Delmark album followed in 2014, “Come Back Baby”, and Alexander returned to the French stages the following year for a tour with Gaspard Ossikian’s Gas Blues Band. He answered questions from Soul Bag for an interview published in our issue 223. A new album was released in 2017, “Two Cats”, also on Delmark. A regular at Chicago clubs, particularly Buddy Guy’s Legends, it was at Rosa’s Lounge that he recorded what would be his last album, “Live At Rosa’s”, which was released in 2020. Ill, it was in a wheelchair and without playing guitar that he performed for the last time at the Chicago Blues Festival in 2022.
Photo © Brigitte Charvolin
Monday, February 24, 2025
RIP Blues Master Linsey Alexander 1942-2025
| Chicago Blues Master Linsey Alexander July 23, 1942, Holly Springs, MS.- February 22, 2025, Chicago, IL. Linsey Alexander’s family has confirmed that this Chicago blues master passed early this morning. Sad sad news for the blues community and for our Delmark family. Linsey Alexander: 822 – Linsey Alexander – Been There Done That 838 – Linsey Alexander – Come Back Baby 851 – Linsey Alexander – Two Cats 862 – Linsey Alexander – Live at Rosa’s |
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LINSEY ALEXANDER is a classic Chicago bluesman, and has been a fixture on the blues scene since he arrived in 1963. He was born on July 23rd, 1942 in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Linsey learned to play the guitar at an early age — around 12 years old— after he had moved with his mother and sister to Memphis, Tennessee. Linsey has played with some of the most legendary bluesmen in history; B.B. King, Magic Slim and even Mr. Buddy Guy himself to name a few. His playing is straight forward and to-the-point, he turns his amps up and lets it fly. He is serious about the music. He has a great time at each show, making sure everyone is entertained. I was introduced to Linsey several years ago, by Buddy Guy’s guitarist Ric Hall, at one of Chicago’s historic blues venues…The Kingston Mines. It was a cold winter night, but Linsey was on fire! Linsey was walking through the crowd, stopping at each table to sing to everyone in the house. The Hoochie Man knows how to work the room, and I can tell you everybody loves it. Linsey is one of hardest working Bluesman in Chicagoland. You can catch him playing almost any night of the week. Whether he’s headlining at a local blues club, or doing an acoustic set somewhere, you’re sure to catch him live around town. This show was recorded at Rosa’s Lounge, on the northside of Chicago, in May 2019. Linsey was in rare form, and ready to deliver. The setlist consists of several originals by Linsey, as well as songs by notable artists including Junior Wells, Freddie King and B.B. King and Latimore. The first track on the album is “Please Love Me” which Linsey says is a tune by B.B. King. Great opening song, with some killer keyboard action on it. The second song is an original by Linsey titled “My Days Are So Long” from his 2006 album of the same name. Track three is a classic blues jam by Freddie King titled “Have You Ever Loved A Woman”. The second longest track on the album, it’s a stone-cold killer blues piece, filled with some beautiful guitar work. Linsey’s vocals and guitar playing are spot on. Track number four “I Got A Woman” is another original by Linsey, from his album Come Back Baby. It’s a funky cool groove that will get you up on the dance floor for sure. Track number five is another Linsey original titled “Goin’ Out Walking” that has a Texas Boogie vibe to it. Track six is a Latimore song titled “Somethin’ ’Bout ’Cha” which has a slower Blues classic sound. Linsey’s vocals are on point here, and the song has an old school feel to it. Also from the album Come Back Baby, track seven “Snowing In Chicago” is one of my personal favorites. From the opening riff to the classic hook, this is a fan favorite! Track eight is a blues jam from Junior Wells titled “Ships On The Ocean”. It is also the second longest song on the album, clocking in at 8:35. This is Chicago Blues at its finest right here. The last track on the album is “Going Back To My Old Time Used To Be”. Linsey says the riff came from his son Nick Alexander, who is also a very accomplished guitar player in his own right. The fruit didn’t fall far from the tree! LINSEY’S BAND THESE TWO NIGHTS IN MAY 2019 INCLUDED: Sergei Androshin (guitar), Ron Simmons(bass)–who has been with Linsey for over 40 years–Roosevelt Purifoy (keyboards), “Big” Ray Stewart(drums). Support live blues music and help us in Keeping The Blues Alive in Chicago and all over the world! —DJ MIGHTY QUINN • BUDDY GUY RADIO Linsey Alexander is a true bluesman, a great artist, and a mentor to so many. He already has three albums on Delmark. His fourth has been recorded during two live shows at the legendary Chicago blues club, Rosa’s Lounge. The highly praised record “All Your Love, I Miss Loving: Live at the Wise Fool’s Pub Chicago” (DE-781) by Otis Rush was Delmark’s reference for the production of Linsey’s new project. Otis’s live album represents an ultimate example of an authentic blues album and moment. On that path, for Linsey’s new live album “Linsey Alexander Live at Rosa’s” the Delmark team of Julia Miller, Elbio Barilari and Steve Wagner aimed for the alloy of an updated, big modern sound with a classic concept, energy and warmth which conveys what Linsey and his band unchain on the stage. Continuing the Delmark legacy of great live recordings, this album is a milestone for Linsey Alexander’s career. Born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Linsey Alexander discovered a down to earth city that truly understands and appreciates music on Chicago’s southside. In much the same way as many great blues artists before him, he grew up in a poor but honest and hard working family, learning early on that music has the power to lift the spirit and comfort the soul. In Linsey’s own words, “Blues is not hard- it’s just a documentary about life.” His first guitar – a gift from a family friend who played on the front stoop of Linsey’s home in Memphis – was never retrieved from the pawn shop where he left it almost 50 years ago. Using the money to help pay his way to Chicago, he now plays a variety of Gibson and Fender guitars. Since 1959, Linsey Alexander has been perfecting the art of entertainment blues for the sheer and simple pleasure of it. His easy smile and unpretentious personality define a charismatic entertainer who loves to perform; and perform he does! Although having played with B.B. King, Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Little Milton, Magic Slim, Johnnie Taylor, A.C. Reed, Larry McCray, Byther Smith, John Primer, Otis Clay, Eddie Clearwater, and other great blues performers, Linsey Alexander has remained resolutely true to his own style. His earlier CD’s released, “Someone’s Cookin’ in My Kitchen,” “My Days Are So Long,” and “If You Ain’t Got It” are all three compilations of original Blues and R&B tunes. Alexander has been to 10 countries and all across America spreading the joy of blues. He is thankful for the good things in his life, and now at last, seems willing to realize that the friends that encouraged him to keep playing over the years may have known a thing or two about talent. Linsey has “never truly believed in himself” until now; Now, he is ready to believe. In 2012, He signed with Delmark Records and recorded his first international CD, “Been There, Done That.” Linsey’s recent Delmark CDs, “Come Back Baby,” from August 2014, landed Linsey a spot as number three best Chicago Blues album, and Living Blues magazine called it “a can’t-miss release for any lover of no-nonsense Chicago blues.” “Two Cats” from 2017, where “Linsey weaves his colorful stories throughout this album of blues, soul, R&B, and funk. It’s great fun and serious music at the same time. `Cause the blues don’t mess around and neither does Linsey.” Linsey Alexander was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame June 8th, 2014. https://www.bmansbluesreport.com/2025/02/rip-blues-master-linsey-alexander-1942.html |
LINSEY with BREEZY RODIO
From fellow Delmark blues recording artist, BREEZY RODIO, who got his big start on the Chicago scene through Linsey, as his guitarist for years.
“I was just a young, eager musician when I joined the Linsey Alexander Blues Band, full of dreams but clueless about the realities of the business. I thought knowing a few licks and songs meant I had it all figured out. Little did I know…..
We played an average of 35 gigs a month, traveling the world together. Along the way, I learned more than I ever could have imagined—both what to do and what not to do. Linsey was tough on me, and at times, I resented him for it. He shattered my romanticized vision of a blues musician’s life, making me realize it wasn’t just about playing music—it was about hard work, discipline, and perseverance. And yet, little did I know that every lesson, every critique, and every hard moment was shaping me into the musician I am today.
Linsey had a deep love for music. When he wanted to, he could play the blues for real, but his greatest strength was his ability to entertain. I say this without exaggeration—he was the greatest live entertainer I’ve ever seen. He commanded the stage like no other, captivating audiences with his energy, humor, and undeniable charisma.
Over the years, I had the privilege of recording and leading his band on four of his latest albums, co-writing and arranging several songs with him. He was the reason I signed with Delmark Records in 2016. Always ready to give musicians a shot, he would either lift you up or curse you out and kick you off stage if you weren’t ready—because that’s just how life works.
On December 30, 2024, I visited Linsey with Ron and Darlene Simmons. I didn’t know then that it would be my last time with him. I told him everything he meant to me, how without him, I wouldn’t be doing what I do today. He couldn’t speak back, but just by looking into his eyes, I knew he understood.
Linsey was out every single night until 4AM, either playing his own gig or hopping from blues bar to blues bar to sit in and play. Chicago lost a true blues legend today, but his legacy will live on—through his son Nick, who is carrying on his footsteps, through the musicians who learned from him, and through the stories we’ll continue to tell. And trust me, I’ll be at the top of that list.
One of my favorite Linsey stories perfectly captures the kind of man he was. Back in 2008, we had a gig in Muskegon, Michigan. Linsey picked me up and made a deal: if I drove on the way back, he’d drop me off at home. Sounded fair enough.
After an hour on the road, everyone in the van was asleep, and I was left alone with the GPS. To this day, I have no idea how it happened, but instead of leading us back to Chicago, it took us deep into the woods somewhere in Illinois. That’s when Linsey woke up, looked around, and said, “Is this where you live?”*
I said, “Well… not exactly.” Without missing a beat, he snapped back, “Well, you do now,. Get out of my van.” Then he drove off, leaving me stranded in the middle of nowhere.
A few minutes later, he circled back and picked me up. “You’re lucky Ron and I are in a good mood. If it wasn’t for Ron, I’d have left your ass out here in the wild. You no-driving $%@#er.”*
When I got back in, I asked, “So… you still want me to drive?” He shot back, “Hell no.”*
That night, we finally made it back to Chicago at 5 AM, and I treated them to breakfast.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Judith and Nick and all of Linsey’s family. I’m currently in Europe with a few gigs to go before I head back to Chicago . So most likely I won’t be able to make it to the funeral. But I know “you will be often imitated but never duplicated. And all this time people called you coffee not because you were black but because you grind so fine”
Now rest easy my friend. There’ll be a jam up in soul heaven tonight , you go and curse them all out Hoochie Man”- BREEZY RODIO, from Facebook, February 22, 2025
From Delmark recording artist/star, MIKE WHEELER, Facebook
“Linsey Alexander was one of my heroes. He was humorous but serious about his music. No one could beat him at selling cds or working the tip bucket. He would hold a crowd in the palm of his hands. Always was kind to up and coming musicians trying to find their way. If he found a new club to play he would bring other bands there, too. I’m gonna miss him talking about my Fender guitars but always playing them when he sat in. His music will continue through his son Nicholas Alexander. Rest In Peace Hoochie Man!” – MIKE WHEELER
“What a ride you had… I have to take a couple min to show my gratitude to one of the best showman, blues men and friends that I had over the last 24 years.. so many laughs and fun times with Linsey Alexander..… will miss you much Hoochie Mayne.. rest up.. your son Nicholas is carrying your torch now.. doing a great job too!”- Luke Pytel, Chicago blues guitarist/vocalist
From Frank Curtis, Linsey’s former manager, on Facebook from Feb 23, 2025
“I offer my sincerest condolences to Judy, Nick and Linsey’s entire family.
It was back in 1997 that I walked into Red’s Blues Bar on 35th Street, on Chicago’s Southside, to “check out” this blues guy that a friend of mine was raving about. The place was small and packed to the door and I managed a seat at the bar directly in front of a small stage. There was this guitar player standing on the floor in front of the band, singing and playing his guitar like there was no tomorrow. People where accidentally bumping into him and he would cuss at them to “get out of my face.” He was dressed in a dusty biker leather vest and black leather pants wearing a beret hat. A wide variety of patron’s, black, white, Hispanic, whatever, all partying down, and a lot of great vibes in the air. Musicians, including the “Blues Lone Ranger” in costume complete with mask and guns in holster with silver bullets, along with blue collar workers, and white collar as well, young and old alike. It reminded me of the bar scene in Star Wars with a Blues genre. Hence, my genesis with LINSEY ALEXANDER!
Linsey had the entire crowd in his control. I’ve booked talent for quite a number of years, and I must admit that this entertainer, although a little ruff around the edges at the time, he was an exceptional talent, innovative guitarist with a big-time voice. After a number of tunes, he beckoned to the audience, “can I get a guitar player up here to take my guitar? I want to just sing for a bit”. My wife sitting next to me pointed to me, Linsey asked her, “for real?” and she responded “Yes”. Linsey handed me his guitar and said, “get on up here, let’s see what you can do for a couple of tunes”. I ended up playing the entire set with him and having a great time. After the set he asked me if I was interested in playing with him on future dates. I responded, “No, but I’ll be your agent”. He mentioned that he had the house booking at Red’s Blues Bar for the past 10 years. He added that he never had an agent. I responded that it was time to make a move. The world needs to see you. He said, “Ok, but I feel like I’m signing with the devil”. I had no comment to that, then, he signed the contract. From that day forward I managed his career booking him locally, nationally and worldwide on tours in addition to assisting with his recording contract with Delmark including writing some of his recorded material, I performed a few bar and concert dates with him and offered to him just plain professional direction. He reciprocated with his philosophy on life to me, which I appreciated as well. More than just a client, we became personal friends, like family in a way. I’m gonna really miss this guy.
Thank you, Linsey Alexander, my friend, for 25+ years of working together. You are one of a kind.
Frank Lopez, a.k.a. Frank Curtis, FCA-Frank Curtis Attractions
From BLUES MAGAZINE from The Netherlands
In Memoriam, Chicago Blues Master Linsey Alexander
February 25, 2025 | News | 0 Comments
The family of Linsey Alexander has confirmed that the Chicago blues master passed away on the morning of February 22, 2025. Sad sad news for the Chicago blues community and Delmark records where he released his albums.
Linsey Alexander was a true bluesman, a great artist and a mentor to many. He recorded three albums with Delmark. His fourth was recorded during two live shows at the legendary Chicago blues club Rosa’s Lounge. The critically acclaimed Otis Rush record “All Your Love, I Miss Loving: Live at the Wise Fool’s Pub Chicago” (DE-781) was Delmark’s reference for Linsey’s live album ‘Linsey Alexander Live at Rosa’s’. The combination of a fresh, big modern sound with a classic concept, energy and warmth that conveys what Linsey and his band unleash on stage. This album continues the Delmark legacy of great live recordings and was a milestone for Linsey Alexander’s career.
Linsey Alexander, born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, discovered that Chicago truly understands and appreciates blues music. Like many great blues artists before him, he grew up in a poor but honest and hardworking family, where he learned early on that music has the power to lift the spirit and soothe the soul. In Linsey’s own words, “Blues isn’t difficult, it’s just a documentary about life.” His first guitar was never recovered from the pawn shop where he abandoned it nearly fifty years ago. With the money to pay his way to Chicago, he now plays a variety of Gibson and Fender guitars. Since 1959, Linsey Alexander has been perfecting the art of entertaining blues for the sheer joy of it. His easy smile and unassuming personality define a charismatic entertainer who loved to perform.
Although he has played with BBKing, Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Little Milton, Magic Slim, Johnnie Taylor, ACReed, Larry McCray, Byther Smith, John Primer, Otis Clay, Eddie Clearwater and other great blues artists, Linsey Alexander has remained resolutely true to his own style. Linsey Alexander was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame on June 8, 2014.”I’ve Got A Woman” – Linsey Alexander with Mississippi Heat – Delmark Blues Brunch – June 14, 2015
https://www.bluesmagazine.nl/in-memoriam-chicago-blues-master-linsey-alexander
From BLUESTOWN MUSIC , The Netherlands
Linsey Alexander Passed Away (1942-2025)
Linsey Alexander’s family has confirmed that this Chicago blues master passed early this morning. Sad sad news for the blues community and for our Delmark family
Born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Linsey Alexander discovered a down to earth city that truly understands and appreciates music on Chicago’s southside. In much the same way as many great blues artists before him, he grew up in a poor but honest and hard working family, learning early on that music has the power to lift the spirit and comfort the soul.
In Linsey’s own words, “Blues is not hard- it’s just a documentary about life”
LINSEY ALEXANDER, “The Hoochie Man” featured in the CHICAGO READER!
THE SECRET HISTORY OF CHICAGO MUSIC
Linsey Alexander started a second career in the blues at 58
After retiring from the police force, this larger-than-life guitarist and singer went from weekend warrior to international touring and recording artist.
by Steve Krakow February 15, 2023
Since 2004 Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) has used the Secret History of Chicago Music to shine a light on worthy artists with Chicago ties who’ve been forgotten, underrated, or never noticed in the first place.
It’s important to pay tribute to our living legends, and I like to think that the Secret History of Chicago Music does so at least as often as it honors the departed. Guitarist and singer Linsey Alexander has been laying down blistering electric blues in the Windy City for five decades, but he didn’t become a full-time musician and recording artist till after he retired from his job with the Chicago Police Department—and at that point he was nearly 60 years old.
Linsey Alexander, like many bluesmen before and since known as “the Hoochie Man,” was born July 23, 1942, in rural Holly Springs, Mississippi. His family worked as sharecroppers—an arrangement so exploitive it was a hair’s breadth from indentured servitude—but their fortunes changed for the better after his mother moved to Memphis to get a job. When Alexander was 12, she came back to take him and a sister to the city with her.
“When I got to Memphis, it was the first time I had ever seen a bus, or a street car. That was where I had my first hot dog. I didn’t know what it was!” Alexander told Blues Blast Magazine in 2020. “I used to go down on Beale Street to hear people playing music outside, but I wasn’t old enough to get in the clubs.”
After Alexander’s mother died in 1958, he stayed with an older brother. A friend of the family—Alexander knew him only as Otis—used to come by and play guitar. “I would listen to him. After some time, he started showing me some things,” Alexander said. “He would go off but leave the guitar. So I could practice what he had shown me until he got back.” Alexander started working to help support the family, taking jobs as a porter in a hotel laundry room and as a bicycle mechanic. But eventually Otis’s guitar fell into his hands for good. “One day he came out, played some guitar, and then said I’ll see you later. I haven’t seen that guy since then! Later on, I pawned that guitar to get the money for a bus ticket to Chicago.”
Alexander arrived in the Windy City in 1959, still a teenager and already a fan of blues, country, and the early rock ’n’ roll of Chuck Berry and Elvis (which wasn’t much different from rhythm and blues anyhow). He started hitting the south-side music scene, where he heard powerful soul singers such as McKinley Mitchell, Garland Green, and Bobby Day. “I saw Otis Clay, and on Wednesday nights I would go see Howlin’ Wolf,” he told Blues Blast. “On the weekend I would go hear Lefty Dizz and all of those guys. At the time, I was living on Ingleside on the South side.”
Alexander didn’t have a guitar of his own—Otis’s instrument remained in hock in Memphis—but after several years of soaking up music, he got the itch to start a band. “This one boy called himself a bass player. I knew I could play a little guitar. So he went and bought a bass guitar, then I bought myself another guitar,” Alexander told Blues Blast. “We found a guy to beat drums. Ended up calling ourselves the Hot Tomatoes!”
A club called the Place at 63rd and Champlain held a talent show every Sunday, and Alexander’s new band made a habit of playing a song at it each week. One of the numbers they had the most fun with was titled “Let It All Hang Out,” though unfortunately it wasn’t the 1967 garage-rock hit by the Hombres.
The Hot Tomatoes worked up a new tune every couple weeks, and Alexander soon started outpacing his sidemen. The band’s drummer was married with two kids, so Alexander replaced him with someone who could be more available. He also went through a few bass players, but soon he found the right one.
“In all of the years I have been playing, I have only had three bass players,” he said. “The third one, Ron Simmons, has been with me for over forty years. His brother, Walter ‘Simtec’ Simmons, had a hit record with his partner, Wylie Dixon called ‘Gotta Get Over the Hump’. That shit was hot, man!” (Secret History covered that band, Simtec & Wylie, more than a decade ago—and they were indeed hot shit.)
Alexander started to build a name for himself with his high-energy performances, bitingly distorted guitar tone, and deep, gravelly vocal style. He’s a big personality, with a lively sense of humor and an amiable, extroverted demeanor that makes him a natural at working the crowd.
At this point, though, Alexander’s music career had always been an evenings-and-weekends affair, squeezed in around the edges of his day jobs. In Chicago, he worked for a car dealer, at a gas station, and as a cook and busboy. In the early 80s he landed a position in the Chicago Police Department, which carried him through the rest of his workaday life. He retired from the force at 58, after he was wounded in the line of duty and decided he didn’t like the jobs that the department still had for him. Fortunately he started receiving his pension early, in 2000, and this ushered in a second act for Alexander as full-time bluesman.
Alexander had never had trouble landing regular gigs, but by the time he turned his full attention to music he’d spent around two decades slugging it out in south- and west-side nightclubs. In the late 90s, while he was playing at Red’s at 35th and Archer, an agent approached him with an offer of representation—and a promise of more money. At that point Alexander was averaging $150 per night, which didn’t go far toward paying a four-piece band.
The agent helped Alexander make connections on the north-side club circuit, and around the time of his formal retirement he cultivated regular gigs at B.L.U.E.S., Kingston Mines, and Blue Chicago. “I started working, and I ain’t never left the North side since then,” he told Blues Blast. “I’ve been playing there at Kingston Mines for about seventeen years now.”
In 1998, Alexander began selling his music on CD-Rs, circulating among the tables at the clubs he played and pitching patrons face-to-face. As of 2012, he claimed to have sold 8,000 copies of his first release, a four-song EP, at $10 apiece—and it’s just one of several he made over the course of more than a decade, including Someone’s Cookin’ in My Kitchen and My Days Are So Long. The CD-Rs may have been handmade, but the recordings were professional, usually cut in studios with full-fledged bands.
Alexander got his next break while sitting in with guitarist and CTA bus driver Toronzo Cannon at B.L.U.E.S. in 2012. Longtime Delmark Records recording engineer Steve Wagner was running a live broadcast from the club, and he was impressed enough with Alexander to recommend him to label owner Bob Koester. Delmark had been issuing blues LPs for more than 50 years at that point, and later in 2012 the venerable label released Alexander’s first properly distributed album, Been There Done That.
The LP shows off Alexander’s time-tested skill, fusing blues, funk, and soul with seemingly effortless improvisatory flair and a wizened, gritty sound. Alexander wrote or cowrote 11 of the album’s 12 tracks, and veteran harp player Billy Branch appears on three cuts.
Alexander continued to release music through Delmark, including the albums Come Back Baby (2014), Two Cats (2017), and Live at Rosa’s (2020). The live album, which is still his most recent release, came out after new Delmark owners Julia A. Miller and Elbio Barilari took over in 2018, and Alexander has good things to say about the change. “They seem to be doing more for the artists, like getting the artists out there with advertising. I look at social media almost every day, and I see myself out there,” he told Blues Blast. “They are a great bunch of people. They do what they say they are going to do.”
At 62, Alexander married for the first time, though he’d already had children in a previous relationship. His son Nick, who’s now 21, also plays blues guitar professionally. Alexander was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame on June 8, 2014, having worked with a staggering list of legends—among them B.B. King, Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Artie “Blues Boy” White, Little Milton, Magic Slim, Johnnie Taylor, A.C. Reed, John Primer, Otis Clay, and Eddie Clearwater.
At 80 years old, Alexander isn’t as vigorous as he used to be, even though he doesn’t drink or smoke. But he continues to gig, sometimes sitting in with Nick’s band, and he appeared last Labor Day weekend at the Rockwell Street Stroll presented by Delmark and Earwig Records. If you’re wise, you won’t pass up your next chance to see him—I recommend you keep an eye out for a big gig in June.
“When you come to my show, you won’t have to worry about it being boring. I will always do my best to make you happy, keep you smiling, and get you excited,” Alexander told Blues Blast. “I play some real serious blues, too, the kind that make you want to drink your whiskey down. I am who I am. I’m not trying to be B.B. King, or Freddie either. I do the best of me of anybody in this world!”
Linsey Alexander – Live at Rosa’s
Linsey Alexander – Live at Rosa’s
Delmark DE 862
Linsey Alexander is a true bluesman, a great artist, and a mentor to so many. He already has three albums on Delmark. His fourth has been recorded during two live shows at the legendary Chicago blues club, Rosa’s Lounge. The highly praised record “All Your Love, I Miss Loving: Live at the Wise Fool’s Pub Chicago” (DE-781) by Otis Rush was Delmark’s reference for the production of Linsey’s new project. Otis’s live album represents an ultimate example of an authentic blues album and moment. On that path, for Linsey’s new live album “Linsey Alexander Live at Rosa’s” the Delmark team of Julia Miller, Elbio Barilari and Steve Wagner aimed for the alloy of an updated, big modern sound with a classic concept, energy and warmth which conveys what Linsey and his band unchain on the stage. Continuing the Delmark legacy of great live recordings, this album is a milestone for Linsey Alexander’s career.
Linsey Alexander – Come Back Baby
Description
Linsey Alexander – Come Back Baby
Delmark DE 838 (2014)
Both critically acclaimed and the best-selling newly recorded album for Delmark in recent times, 2012’s Been There Done That put Linsey Alexander in the blues spotlight. “Throughout Alexander sings with a conviction and verve that few can equal. This should be his break-out recording.” Gary von Tersch, Big City Rhythm & Blues Similar to the first album, Come Back Baby is full of delightful new originals including “Little Bit of Soap”, “Booty Call”, “Call My Wife”, “Things Done Changed”, “Too Old To Be A New Fool” and the title track. Once again Linsey led his nine-piece band live in the studio with special guest Billy Branch on harmonica.
Linsey Alexander – Two Cats
A review of Linsey Alexander’s previous album Come Back Baby (Delmark 838) in Living Blues magazine called it “a can’t-miss release for any lover of no-nonsense Chicago blues”. The “Hoochie Man” is back with all original material including the new smash Two Cats! “My woman got two cats, one in the front, the other in the back!” From the searing “Where Did You Take Your Clothes Off Last Night” to the tender “Til I Kissed You”, from the comedic “Facebook Woman” to the political “Comb Over Blues” Linsey weaves his colorful stories throughout this album of blues, soul, R&B, and funk. It’s great fun and serious music at the same time. `Cause the blues don’t mess around and neither does Linsey.
Linsey Alexander – Been There Done That
Bluesman Linsey Alexander was born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. His first guitar was never retrieved from the pawn shop where he left it almost 50 years ago; but using the money from the pawned guitar to help pay his way to Chicago, he now has a variety of guitars. Linsey has played with B.B. King, Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Little Milton, Magic Slim, Johnnie Taylor, Larry McCray, A. C. Reed, Byther Smith, John Primer, Otis Clay, and Eddie Clearwater. Been There Done That is Linsey’s Delmark debut and it features an eight piece band including the LA Horns and special guest Billy Branch on harmonica. Enjoy these brand new original songs brought to life by Linsey’s powerful vocals!
Official Obituary of
Linsey Alexander
July 23, 1942 – February 22, 2025
Linsey Alexander Obituary
Linsey Alexander, 82, Beloved husband of Judith Schader; Devoted father of Bernadine Alexander, Alverdis Alexander, Nicholas Alexander and the late Linsey Scott; Step-father of Francisco Ortiz, Migdalia Ortiz and Justin Wilcox; Proud grandfather of Chloe and Alexis Bloodsaw, Dion, Orlando and Shyneka Wilburn and Kashay Alexander; Cherished son of the late Evie Moore; Loving brother of the late Nathaniel King, Ernest King, Louise Wilkins, Maggie King Garfield, Louis and Leon Moore; also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Linsey was a Chicago Blues Hall of Fame inductee, he played in Chicago at Red’s (35th & Archer), Blues on Halsted, Kingston Mines, Buddy Guy’s Legends, Johnny’s Blitz and countless other clubs. He also played in other countries, like South Africa, Latvia, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Copenhagen, France, Belgium and Quebec, to name a few. Visitation Saturday 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m and Sunday 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Funeral Service Monday 11:00 a.m. at Curley Funeral Home, 6116 W. 111th St., Chicago Ridge, IL 60415. A live stream of the service will be available via this link:
https://www.asimplestreaming.com/lalexander. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. For Funeral Info: (708) 422-2700 or www.curleyfuneralhome.com.
