R.I.P. Honeyboy

David "Honeyboy Edwards" died Monday at his home in Chicago. He was 96.

Honeyboy was a Mississippi native, born in Shaw, Miss. in 1915, and authentic Delta bluesman.

He first left home as a teen to travel with Big Joe Williams. He was a pal of Little Walter. But he's most famous for his association with Robert Johnson. He was said to have been playing with Johnson the night he was poisoned in 1938.

I was lucky enough to see him at the Thirsty Ear Festival in 2006. As I blogged back then, Honeyboy perhaps was "the last one standing who's played with Son House and Charlie Patton back in the old days, and he's still a joy to hear and behold."

He played a simple, no-frills set accompanied on harmonica by his manager Michael Frank and on some songs by guitarist Louisiana Red.

His obit is HERE. A tribute in Time Out Chicago is HERE.

Below is some music and a radio interview.