Bill Text: IL SR0243 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Eddie C. Campbell.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2019-03-21 - Resolution Adopted [SR0243 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-SR0243-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
learn of the death of Eddie C. Campbell, who passed away on
November 20, 2018 at the age of 79; and
WHEREAS, Eddie Campbell was born in Duncan, Mississippi on
May 6, 1939 to parents who were sharecroppers; when he was six,
he moved with his family to Chicago, where his mother bought
him his first guitar and took him to the old 1125 Club on West
Madison Street; shortly after, she introduced him to her
friend, Muddy Waters, and by the age of 12, he was sitting in
with Waters's band; and
WHEREAS, As a teenager, Eddie Campbell played in a band
with his neighbor, Luther Allison, and later with Little
Walter, who was known for revolutionizing the harmonica; he
also played sideman with Howlin' Wolf and Little Johnny Taylor;
he had a knack for boxing and won 16 heavyweight fights in a
row and was once booked to fight a Golden Gloves match against
a young Cassius Clay, later known as heavyweight champion
Muhammad Ali; his professional boxing career came to an end
when he broke his leg in a motorcycle accident; and
WHEREAS, In 1963, Eddie Campbell became the bandleader for
Jimmy Reed and adopted Reed's minimalist guitar playing and

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slurred singing style; he also played with Willie Dixon's
Chicago Blues All Stars and Koko Taylor; during this time, he
was known to dress, drive, and perform flamboyantly; he rode a
purple Honda 750 motorcycle; speaking with a newspaper, he once
said, "I have my own true sound"; he also noted, "I write my
own music, I arrange my own music, from bass to the horns," not
as a blues purist but with hints of rock; in 1977, he released
his first LP, King of the Jungle, and the cover featured him in
a fur vest with a full Afro; the opening track of the album,
Santa's Messing with the Kid, became a Christmas staple and was
covered by Lynyrd Skynyrd; and
WHEREAS, In the 1980s, Eddie Campbell was in Europe,
touring and living in the Netherlands and Germany; while
overseas, he met his wife, Barbara, who became his manager;
they returned to the United States in 1992; he then released
several more albums, including the last two with Chicago's
historic Delmark Records; his final album, Spider Eating
Preacher, was released in 2012 and earned a 2013 American Blues
Award nomination for best traditional blues album; and
WHEREAS, Eddie Campbell suffered through health
difficulties that limited his guitar playing in 2013; however,
he still played the harmonica and sang during appearances in
the Chicago area; he "epitomized the West Side sound, which
included R&B and soul," and while he had an excellent voice, he

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was an acclaimed guitarist and songwriter; and
WHEREAS, Eddie Campbell is survived by his wife, Barbara;
his daughter, Sheba; and his son, David; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
Eddie C. Campbell and extend our sincere condolences to his
family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Eddie Campbell as an expression of
our deepest sympathy.