John Hammond dead at 83: Grammy Award winning blues legend passes

Grammy Award winning blues legend John Hammond has died at 83.

Toronto Blues musician Paul Smith announced that the talented artist had passed in a Facebook post on Sunday, March 1.

No cause of death was given for the singer and guitarist but Billboard Canada reports that it was from cardiac arrest.  

Smith revealed that Hammond's wife Marla Hammond told him that his friend and fellow musician had passed away. 

He wrote: 'The blues world has lost a giant. I’ve lost my best friend.

'My heart goes out to Marla and the family. Rest easy, John.'

Smith went on to share several photos of himself with Hammond throughout the years. 

He finished off the sweet tribute post by writing: 'I’ve just been going through the photos we’ve shared over the years — from the Horseshoe Tavern to Albert’s Hall, from London to Montreal, to Edmonton to Ottawa — and each picture tells a story of great music, great people, and unforgettable nights. 

'He was such an inspiration to me, I'll miss him terribly...'

Hammond routinely performed across Canada and was a regular performer in Toronto club venues over many decades where he met Smith. 

His longtime booking agent Mike Kappus also posted a lengthy tribute on Facebook which read: 'John Paul Hammond was a Grammy winner, Blues Hall of Fame inductee and a very influential artist who was the most passionate performer I ever knew.

'Typically performing solo, he was like a man possessed, playing guitar like two people at once, playing harmonica on a neck rack, and singing while adding percussion with his feet. He was totally dedicated to the deep Blues music he loved and made.'

Kappus also went into their working relationship and friendship.

He concluded: 'Offstage, John was a very kind and sophisticated gentleman. I booked some shows for him in the early/mid seventies before becoming his exclusive agent in 1977. We worked together until I retired from artist representation in 2014. 

'A tireless worker, especially in his earlier years, we booked nearly 4,500 shows for him all over the world before he began to reduce his schedule. We remained very good friends throughout and ever since.'

Hammond earned his lone Grammy Award in 1985 for his contribution to the compilation Blues Explosion and earned numerous nominations throughout his career.

Hammond released more than 30 albums as he remained true to his favored blues style which is the stripped-back tradition of Delta and Chicago blues. 

He is survived by his third wife, Marla, whom he married in 2003.

Hammond was previously married Dana McDevitt in 1967 and Peggy Spoerri in 1981. 

He was also known as John Paul Hammond as he is the son of iconic record producer John Henry Hammond who was the legendary A+R man for Columbia Records.

His father has been credited for sparking the careers of many icons in music including Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Leonard Cohen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and countless others. 

John Henry also was largely responsible for the revival of the music of delta blues artist Robert Johnson. 

John Henry was also a groundbreaker as he was one of the first men to racially integrate the American music industry.