RiP - JAMES "T- MODEL" FORD - 192? - 2013 - The Boss of the Blues, The Ladies Man from Greenville, Mississippi.

Photo by Devin Miller

             
 "You know i'm quite a young man to be playing the blues. I ain't old no more."   
- T-Model Ford         

Like a lot of folks I know I was fortunate to meet T-Model Ford a number of times. If T-Model was playing anywhere you did not miss it. And you held on to your lady. His music was raw and seemingly simple but was actually quite complex, the way the variances and vagaries of his grooves twisted around each other like snakes in his huge, rock hard and calloused hands. 

T-Model loved to groove, and every extended groove just oozed under the heat of his hi-watt lightbulb smile. He raised all kinds of hell as a young man, and he paid for it. He was tough and had been a bad ass, but the music helped. You become younger when you play music. He told me he didn't learn guitar until he was 58. So I have that to shoot for. and I intend to. 

"Naw, the blues don't worry me atall."

His life story is movie-worthy, an epic tale of survival and he had the Parchman prison leg iron scars to prove it. He lived to tell it all, to play all he could...until he couldn't. T-Model Ford was a charmer. The ladies loved him, and the men wanted to be him. 

Peace to one of the most delightful and magnetic men I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Peace to his fans, friends, and family in particular his wife Ms. Stella. Bless her heart and bless the boys of Gravelroad for taking such good care of him. Peace to the great T-Model Ford. Like a leaf on a tree...and that's for damn sure!

Here's a couple live shows of T-Model with Gravelroad
and a juke joint caravan gig with the late, great Paul Wine Jones and ever livin' Mr. Kenny Brown @ WFMU 

Rest In Peace T-Model, and thank you for the memories. Peace.