LAZY BILL LUCAS

Born on May 19, 1918 in Wynne, Arkansas
Died: December 11, 1982

I could find nothing on Lazy Bill’s early life, and very little about his years in Chicago (1941–1962). It is said that he, Big Joe Williams and Sonny Boy Williamson toured together during the early 40s, but beyond that, his day-to-day life in Chicago is a mystery.

I know that he was very active in the Chicago blues scene because he appears on a number of compilation blues albums that have been released in recent years: Chicago Blues, The Chance Era —1999 on the Charly label, Blues Is Killin’ Me—1999 by Jewel-Paula Records, Chicago Slickers, Vol. 2 (1948–1955) —1999 by Nighthawk Records, and Down Home Blues Classics Chicago (1946–1954)— 2005 by Boulevard Vintage.
He also recorded Lazy Bill Lucas in 1974, on the Philo label.

Lazy Bill moved from Chicago to Minneapolis in 1962. He became a figurehead in the Twin Cities blues scene, and in 1979 the first Lazy Bill Lucas Show was aired on KFAI-FM radio in Minneapolis.

The Lazy Bill Lucas Show was his platform to talk the blues, play and sing the blues, and spin the blues tunes that he knew so well. The show was very popular, and he hosted it until his death on December 11, 1982.

Lazy Bill Lucas continues to be honored by the Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society of Minneapolis.

Brief sketch by Willa Davis and Suzi Pangborn

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All of the prints are printed on archival paper with archival, pigmented inks.

As I continue to work on the salvaging of my old negatives, and convert them into digital files, I will add them to this site.

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