Jay Spell R.I.P.

[Michael Johnstone]

I've just been told musician extrordinaire Jay Spell passed last night in Los Angeles.He had battled esophageal cancer for the last 2 or 3 years and it finally got the best of him.For those who don't know,Jay was a brilliant hard swinging hard rocking,singer,piano player,accordianist and fiddler.Blind since birth,he was blessed with perfect pitch,a fathomless,encyclopedic knowledge of Americana music and a record collection to match. Jay was from South Carolina but spent time in Memphis,Nashville,Austin and Los Angeles and played on lotsa records and in lotsa bands.I'm lucky to be able to say he was a close friend and musical companero of mine for over 30 years and I shall miss him.

[Michael Holland]

Sorry to hear of Jay's passing. I was lucky enough to work with Jay on several occasions and he was a true talent and a "cool cat". He possessed an amazing knowledge of early rock and country. He could recall the exact inversion for the keyboard part of some obscure record that came out in 1956. And he was just as happy to be playing in a club for a dozen people or on the big stage in Ronnie Milsap's band. He was an inspiration to many. Au revoir, mon frere.

[Kevin Mincke]

http://www.jayspell.com/tractors/
http://www.jayspell.com/okanes2/