"Queen of the Blues" Koko Taylor passes at age 80

Koko Taylor, the powerful vocalist who was one of the top draws on the blues circuit for years, and arguably the most popular artist on the Alligator Records roster, died after complications from recent surgery. During her career, she had won more Blues Music Awards than any other artist, and had been nominated for 9 Grammy Awards, winning 1. She ran two different Chicago blues lounges during the 80s and 90s, and she was a mentor to many on the Chicago blues circuit, in addition to quietly assisting in the creation of a foundation which helped performers overcome substance-abuse problems.
A full review of her career was posted on the Alligator website shortly after the announcement of her death:
http://alligator.com/index.cfm?section=news&newsID=397