RIP Ann Rabson (1945-2013)

2009-0726_Pocono_Blues_Sunday-1520, a photo by NoVARon on Flickr.

RIP Ann Rabson. Best known as a member of Saffire-the Uppity Blues Women, she was such a wonderful musician, singer, and person. I first met her a DC Blues Society picnic in 1987 and we became friends then. So many memories of her and Saffire including a benefit at Georgetown University for the homeless and then seeing the original trio (with Earline Lewis slapping the bass) at a bistro in Georgetown in Washington DC which they played regularly while still a local-regional act.

For the DC Blues Society I did an interview and article on the Trio around the time of the first Alligator album that was soon published in Blues Revue, then a new publication, and thus the first article on Ann and the band. I know she was a regular instructor at Blues Week at Elkins WV and so she has so many people who she taught over these years.

But the most important one thing one could learn was being such a good person. Ann, I am only one of thousands who will miss you.

Here is Ann Rabson on guitar, not piano, performing One Meatball, a song that she performed as long as I knew her.

Here is Ann performing Little Red Wagon in Italy.

Finally a performance of Ann with Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women doing Middle Aged Woman Blues, one of the trio's best known originals that was on the cassette they sold while still a regional band and later re-recorded for the trio's Alligator debut album. Ann is on piano here although you cannot see her.