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Legendary Chicago blues man Junior Wells has succumbed to afive-month battle with lymphoma.|
Wells first underwent treatment for the disease in August 1997. Thefollowing month, he was readmitted to a Chicago hospital and quickly fellinto a coma. At that time, Wells' longtime manager and friend MartySalzman told JAMTV that although theharmonica player was still breathing without the help of life support,doctors weren't confident Wells would ever recover.
Wells did come out of the coma about six weeks ago, but never became fullyalert, Salzman said. "He couldn't take the chemo. It was killing him." Theblues great died late Thursday night.
Wells was born in 1934 in Memphis. Moving up to Chicago in 1946, he quicklybecame a staple of the city's blues scene, playing with the likes ofMuddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy. In 1997,Wells was recognized by the music industry with the W.C. Handy BluesAward for a traditional blues album. That record, titled Come On InThis House, was also nominated for a Grammy.
Salzman calls Wells a wonderful artist and a special friend. "I learned alot from him, especially how to treat people. Being around Junior madeanybody a better person. He had integrity and treated everyone with respect-- real respect. It was a privilege to work with a man that talented andthat respected by so many in the business."
Wells was dubbed the "Godfather of the Blues" for his influence on severalgenerations of blues musicians, but his relationship with at least with onemember of the Chicago blues community extended beyond even that. ForTony Mangiullo, owner of the popular West Side club Rosa's BluesLounge, Wells was more like a father.
"Junior Wells is the only reason I came to America and to Chicago,"Mangiullo told JAMTV on Friday afternoon. "Imet him as a kid back in Italy in 1978. I barely spoke English, but I toldhim that I wanted to come to Chicago and play the blues. He gave me hisaddress and said, 'Come to Chicago. I'll be responsible for you.'"
Months later, when Manguillo showed up at Wells' doorstep, the blues mantook him under his wing, even paying for the immigrant's lodging until hegot on his feet. When Manguillo opened up Rosa's in 1984, Wells was amongthe first musicians to donate his time to the club. "Junior Wells kept thepromise that he made to me in Italy until the day he died," Manguillo said."My association and feelings for him will remain with me until I die."
A benefit concert, which will be held in Chicago in the near future, iscurrently being planned to honor Wells' memory. Salzman said the moneyraised would go to help one of Wells' daughters who has been in a wheelchairsince childhood.
Wells is survived by numerous children, two sisters, and nieces
andnephews. He was 63. (Ari Bendersky/Isaac Josephson)