Sunday, December 18, 2016

Subject: BARRELHOUSE CHUCK



Sorry to report the death of our dear friend,
Chicago Piano Legend, H. Charles Goering..aka.. 
BARRELHOUSE CHUCK
July 10, 1958 - Dec 12, 2016
Cause of Death Prostate Cancer

Please read this story in the Chicago Tribune

There's tons of Chuck's videos on YouTube
Here's a link....Check it out! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cpnnd9k6iY

We met Chuck a decade or so ago.  We were listening to our buddy, OL HARV on the BLUES REVIEW-88.1 FM.  Chuck was his guest in the studio that day telling fantastic stories about his life in the blues and how he met and befriended the Chicago great piano legends like Sunnyland Slim, Little Brother Montgomery, Pinetop Perkins, etc etc.  I told Sheila we had to meet that man!  He was playing that night at a local tavern, that was later to become, our favorite blues venue....The Legendary Midway Tavern in Mishawaka, IN.  The bar is operated by the Queen of the Blues, Albertina Wassenhove.We had an empty pretzel barrel on hand and Sheila suggested that I make him a tip jar.  I met him that evening and presented it to him....he said you made this for me?...you'd have thought that I had given him a new car.  I have never seen someone that was so appreciative!   We got acquainted and each time he came to town we made him some more artwork.   He had one of the largest collections of blues memorabilia in the country, photos, posters and THOUSANDS of records, 78's, Lp's, 45's, even 8-tracks.   Thru the years he started staying at our house whenever he was in the area...sometimes for gigs and sometimes just passing thru.  He'd call up and say: "I'm coming in town early so we can "make folk art" in the shop.   I've made him dozens of tribute plaques and shadow boxes to all of his idols.   I'll post some photos of some of them soon. He loved staying here in our "folk art museum"...and he loved Sheila's chocolate chip cookies and cheesecake.  There is a hole in our hearts that will never be filled. We love you Chuck! We last saw him and his lovely wife, Betsy, about 6 weeks ago at their home in Illinois

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqQqNEPLZ4IHERE'S ANOTHER FINE VIDEO ON CHUCK

CHUCK ALWAYS GAVE 110%

CHUCK in our LIVING ROOM


 



CHUCK and SHEILA at the Midway

THE LAST PIECE I MADE FOR HIM HE LOVED THE CROWN

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HIS FAVORITE TV SHOW - HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL







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I'll be adding lots more pictures of Chuck and some 
of the Artwork that I made for him...SOON!
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Sunday, December 4, 2016

Dec 3th, 2016

Last night we were at the Midway Tavern to see the BRUCE KATZ BLUES BAND from the east coast.  We were happy to see our old friends keyboard master BRUCE  KATZ and guitar wizard CHRIS VITARILLO.  We met the band's new drummer RAY HANGEN that replaced former percussion man RALPH ROSEN.  We missed seeing Ralph but Ray is doing a great job in his place.

If this GREAT BAND comes to your area DON'T MISS THEM!






Ray Hangen's Facebook
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