[FAC] Music posting

[Dixie Salazar]

Very sorry to post that Hosea Levy died recently. This is an obituary  
written by Chris Millar. The funeral is Friday Aug. 22 at 1 PM at  
Cooley funeral Home. Music and food to follow at Hinton Center.
Respectfully,  Dixie Salazar

It's the end of an era for the Fresno Blues scene.Hosea Leavy the  
self-proclaimed "Grand Daddy of the Blues" died on August 12,2008 at  
the U.S. Veterans Hospital in Fresno,CA after a short bout with  
cancer.He was 80 years old.
  Hosea was born in Altheimer,Arkansas on November 26,1927.One of 15  
children,Hosea learned the guitar from his father and older  
brother.In the mid 1940's he started playing in  a combo that would  
play in and around Little Rock with instruments rented from a local  
pawnbroker.In 1950 Hosea was drafted into the Army and saw some  
combat action in Korea.It was in the army's USO clubs that Hosea  
picked up his bass skills which served him well throughout his  
musical career.After being discharged from the service in 1954 Hosea  
and his younger brother Calvin formed group that eventually made  
history."We played so much together we knew what to do and how to do  
it.I could feel Calvin,he could feel me,when you feels the guys you  
are playing with you know what they are gonna do.You hits that groove  
and playing the Blues is like taking candy from a baby".The rapport  
between the Leavy brothers was enough to make a massive hit record  
out of 'Cummins Prison Farm' on the Soul Beat label.The song detailed  
the sub-human conditions at Cummins. The prisons human rights expose  
was later made into a film titled 'Brubaker' starring Robert  
Redford.The song hit at #40 on the Billboard R&B charts in 1970 and  
stayed there for 5 weeks after Shelby Singletons Blue Fox label  
picked it up.The song has had a firm position in the canon of the  
modern Blues repoitre ever since,and is a favorite of Southern Blues  
audiences.
  Hosea wrote and recorded one single in 1969 for Soul Beat titled  
'It's Too Early in the Morning b/w You Cant Lose What You Never Had'  
the Muddy Waters original.In 1969 he also made a single for Riceland  
that was produced by Willie Cobbs titled 'Oo-Wee Baby b/w When I was  
a Little Boy'.
  The brothers rode the 'Cummins' wave for a few years and made  
countless appearances throughout the south and elsewhere."There was  
only three of us but we could really blow and we made some pretty  
good money".Eventually the Leavy brothers broke up and started their  
own bands.Hosea moved to California and started a combo with Johnny  
'Da-Doo' Wilson on bass and Warren Milton on drums.This trio play a  
small joint in West Fresno called 'Wagners' every weekend for at  
least 5 years.The band would start around 10 in the evening and go  
until 5 in the morning or until the cops showed up."There would be 60  
people standing and I kept it full because they said I got a style of  
playing guitar that makes people pat their feet and when they are  
patting their feet I feels good and I can really soul that guitar down".
  In 1993 Hosea recorded a cassette titled 'Greasy Greens' for the  
debut of Fedora Records.The tape was noticed by 'Blues and Rhythm'  
who in turn published an article by Mike Rainsford which got Hosea  
some good festival work in Europe and elsewhere.Hosea recorded a CD  
for Fedora 'You Gotta Move' in 1997 and co-starred with Harmonica  
Slim AKA Riley(or Richard) Riggins titled 'Cold Tacos and Warm Beer'.
  Hosea loved to hunt and fish when he wasn't gigging or hanging out  
at 'The Barrel' in West Fresno.Hosea was father to 26 children 4 of  
whom are named Hosea Leavy,Jr.Hosea was a fine performer and a strict  
band leader.He was respected by the local musicians and he mentored  
many of the areas best Blues musicians.His last major gig was the  
2007 San Francisco Blues Festival.Hosea was still performing at a  
very high level only weeks before he drove his old Chrysler to the  
V.A. and checked himself in.In his last days at the hospice Hosea was  
very lucid and enjoyed visits with his friends and family."I love  
music..You can pay if you want to,if you dont I dont care,I'll just  
enjoy myself.I'm gonna play to the day I die".



Chris Millar Bluesfarm Music Management www.bluesfarm.com

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