contents

blues
 
Finis Tasby Suffers Stroke

"Delta Groove would like to share with our family that The Mannish Boys lead vocalist and founding member Finis Tasby suffered a severe stroke that has left him with what we hope is only temporary paralysis. Finis does have Medicare but has absolutely no other funds. We are praying for his eventual recovery but it will be a long tedious process. At this time he is at The Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster California. Finis has not been able to eat and cannot move the left side of his body, speech is very limited, and he has undergone surgery to place a feeding tube in his stomach. Any financial help is greatly appreciated either through PayPal (chip in) or cards can be sent to Finis Tasby in care of Delta Groove Music, 16501 Sherman Way, Suite 100, Van Nuys, CA 91406 Any donation is of great help to Finis at this difficult time. No donation is too big or too small, please give. Flowers and or balloons can be sent to the hospital in his name.

ABOUT FINIS TASBY:
Powerhouse vocalist Finis Tasby was born in Dallas, Texas in 1940, and grew up immersed in the vibrant Texas blues tradition. As a teenager got his first professional music experience as drummer with the local combo The Blues Blasters. By the early 1960s he'd switched instruments, and was playing bass and singing backup with local legends The Thunderbirds, working regularly with Z.Z. Hill, and backing Clarence Carter, Lowell Fulson, and Freddie King on regional tours. By the mid '60s Finis had stepped out in front of the band, and began establishing his reputation as one of the most soulful R&B and blues singers on the circuit.

In the early '70s Finis relocated to Los Angeles, and soon picked up where he'd left off in Texas. As a bass player, he worked with many big names, including B.B. King, Percy Mayfield and Big Mama Thornton. But it is as a vocalist that Finis really came into his own, making his recording debut as a frontman in the 1970s. It was during this period that he also formed a lifelong friendship with blues great John Lee Hooker, with whom he often performed locally. Finis' reputation as a strong and soulful singer reached new heights with the releases of a series of releases, including "People Don't Care" on Shanachie, from which three songs were used in the film "The Babysitter".

In the late 1990s Finis began his alliance with Rand Chortkoff, when Rand independently produced Finis' CD "Jump Children", which was released to wide acclaim on the Evidence label. Finis and Rand have worked closely ever since, with Finis a charter member of The Mannish Boys, Chortkoff's 'all-star' project at the core of Delta Groove Productions. Together, Rand and Finis have collaborated on numerous recording projects and live performances around the world over the last two decades."



write your comments about the article :: © 2013 Jazz News :: home page