August 10, 2010
RIP Calvin "Fuzz" Jones, June 9th,1926 - August
9th, 2010. Best known as the longtime bass player of the
Muddy Waters Blues Band, Calvin "Fuzz" Jones,
a Greenwood, Mississippi native, passed away last night
of complications from lung cancer. He was 84. "Fuzz"
was the definitive blues bass player, a stirring vocalist,
and a wonderful human being. Here is the email that Bob
Margolin, his longtime friend, and fellow Muddy alum,
wrote this morning:
Calvin “Fuzz” Jones passed away early this
morning at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto in Southaven,
Mississippi. His family is making funeral arrangements
for Saturday in Mississippi. No more information on that
yet, update soon.
Calvin “Fuzz” Jones is best known for the
10 years he played bass in Muddy Waters’ band, about
1970-’80. Previously, he had worked with Howlin’
Wolf, Little Walter, and Elmore James. He was appreciated
for his strong electric bass playing, rocking stage presence,
deep Blues singing, and the friendly laugh and smile he
had for all.
Calvin had been living in Senatobia, MS for the last
few years after decades in the Chicago area. Some of you
receiving this e-mail were very kind to help him financially
to stay in his apartment when he faced eviction in January.
He appreciated that so deeply, understanding fully that
the Blues music we all love had brought him your timely
help. He had beat lung cancer, and in the late 1990’s
he had a large tumor successfully removed from the back
of his neck. Apparently the cancer came back in one lung
and he developed pneumonia in the other and couldn’t
breathe and was rushed to the hospital. He suffered a
heart attack there, and though he was stabilized, his
heart was weakened and gave out on him for the last time
this morning.
I visited him last Friday afternoon, and he was deeply
sedated. I’m glad to have seen him one more time,
but he didn’t know I was there. I think he was beyond
medical recovery, and that his illness overtook his strength.
He was 84 years old, and was enjoying his life as much
as possible until very recently. He had a sincere good
word for everyone, and his reaction to any kind of health,
musical, or financial challenge was his hearty trademark
laugh. I asked him how he could laugh so easily when life
hurt him, and he said “When you laugh the world
laughs with you, when you cry, you cry alone.” He
brought us deep Chicago and Mississippi Blues on the bandstand
and on recordings, and his Blues and love for his friends,
family, and all of us are his legacy.
Sadly, Bob Margolin
