Koko Taylor, 1928—2009

Koko Taylor, a sharecropper's daughter whose powerful voice earned her the title "Queen of the Blues," died Wednesday, June 3rd, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital about two weeks after having surgery for a gastrointestinal bleed, according to Marc Lipkin, director of publicity for her record label, Alligator Records, which made the announcement. She was 80. Robert Christgau's comment about her in The Village Voice back in 2002 sums up her career and impact perfectly. Referencing her career-making hit "Wang Dang Doodle," Christgau wrote, "play her version, not Wolf's, at my damn funeral, 'cause maybe it'll wake me up."