Lynwood Slim (1953-2014)

Blues singer and harmonica player Lynwood Slim, whose real name was Richard Duran, died in Los Angeles on August 4. In 2011, he contracted hepatitis C, which led to cirrhosis of the liver. He was told he would need a liver transplant, but never received it.  He died following a stroke at age 60.

Richard Dennis Duran was born in Los Angeles on August 19, 1953. As a child, he played the trumpet. He took up the harmonica at age 15 and played in and around his home town. In 1974, he moved to Minneapolis, where his blues band was named best in the area in 1986. Following a brief stay in Amsterdam, he moved back to L. A. in 1988. He frequently teamed with guitarist Junior Watson and various alumni of the Hollywood Fats Band. Somewhere along the way, he learned to play jazz flute, an unusual blues instrument, but one that is compatible with his laid-back singing style.

Slim was leader or co-leader on eight CDs released between 1996 and 2010. He is best known for his last two, both on the Delta Groove label: Last Call (2006), and Brazilian Kicks (2010), with Brazilian guitarist Igor Prado and his Band. In this video, Junior Watson is the first guitar soloist, followed by Igor Prado.