RIP Terry Callier, 1945-2012
One of the most criminally underrated singers [[IMO) of our time, the soulful and versatile Terry Callier, has passed away at the age of 67. He died yesterday [[10/28) at his home in Chicago. No announcement yet on the official cause of death, although reports are he had been ill for some time. Links:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/ne...at-67-20121029
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012...?newsfeed=true
http://www.suntimes.com/news/obituar...ies-at-67.html
These articles provide a good rundown of Terry's career, which began in the early '60s and started with recordings for Chess Records, including two tracks that are popular in the Northern/Modern Soul scenes, "Look At Me Now" from 1963 and "Ordinary Joe" from 1973. [[Both are dynamite songs, and really should have been popular with music fans everywhere.)
Callier got into folk and jazz in the early '60s, which led to the key Chess LP in 1964, "The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier." that was the first of 5 major albums between 1964-1978, including "Occasional Rain" from 1972.
After his 1978 album "Turn You To Love," he hung it up for nearly 20 years to raise his daughter and work at the University of Chicago as a computer programmer. The his music career resurrected in 1991, when the Acid Jazz label in London re-released the single "I Don't Want to See Myself [[Without You)." That single sparked a renewed interest in Callier, and led him to resume performances in the U.K., Europe and eventually the U.S. He released the well-received album "Timepeace" in 1998 [[which won an award from the United Nations!), and worked/toured with Beth Orton. His final album, "Hidden Conversations," was produced by Massive Attack and released in 2009.
I don't know Terry Callier's music as well as I should, but intend to change that soon.
RIP Mr. Callier, thank you for the all the great music. And with all due respect, you were no Ordinary Joe.
