We have the sad news to report that Terry Callier, who was widely influential but commercially overlooked, passed away at home yesterday at the age of 67.
The Chicago-bred artist’s calling card was his ability to deftly blend the sounds of jazz, soul, and folk together with a voice that truly stayed with you. He was a renowned guitar player and was even asked to tour with fellow legends Etta James and Muddy Waters way back when, though his mother forced him to turn down the offers.
Callier’s career included notable solo albums, particularly during the ’60s and ’70s, and his voice and music saw a rebirth-of-sorts in the early ’90s when DJs began playing his tunes live. He began playing again in ’98, which led to more touring, collaborations with the likes of Massive Attack, and an award from the United Nations for his TimePeace album.
You can watch the video for his Massive Attack collaboration and stream “What Color Is Love?” below. You can download his 1968 set at the Mother Blues here, thanks to Noz. [via]
