KoKo Taylor: September 28, 1935 - June 3, 2009

The Passing of KoKo Taylor - A life in Chicago Urban Blues music

• Born Cora Walton on Sept 28, 1935, in Memphis, TN. Died June 3, 2009.
• Came to Chicago in 1965.
• Had a hit record with Willie Dixon on Chess Records called "Wang Dang Doodle."
• Bob Riedy was signed with Chess and met KoKo and Willie Dixon for the first time.
• KoKo and Bob came together in 1970 when she became the vocalist for the Bob Riedy Chicago Blues Band.
• When KoKo formed her own band, Bob managed her for a short while through his RMR Productions.
• Bob discontinued management in the late 1970s and KoKo continued her career becoming more famous each year.
• Bob saw KoKo every year at the Chicago Blues Festival where their charities each sponsored a booth.
• Last year Bob gave the original band poster he found in the Chicago Blues Foundation archives of KoKo when she was with his band.
• This year Bob had hoped to get her reaction to what might be the youngest picture of her professional career that he found in the archives.