Chess Artist Jimmy Rogers Passes

12/22/1997 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Bruce Haring

(12/22/97) - Blues giant Jimmy Rogers passed away from complications of colon cancer surgery Friday morning. Rogers, 73, was a rhythm guitarist best known as Muddy Waters' counterpart in Waters' Chicago blues band of the mid-1950s. A complete two-CD collection of his music has just been released by Chess/ MCA as Jimmy Rogers: The Complete Chess Recordings.

Rogers left the Waters band by 1958, and his career went into eclipse for a time. However, in the 1970s he took part in all-star blues tours, and in the 1980s, the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton used him as the opening act in several concerts. Clapton also covered his songs "Goin' Away Baby" and "Blues Leave Me Alone" on his 1994 album From The Cradle.

No memorial service plans have been announced.