Burl Franklin Ellison, 58, Blues, country and jazz guitarist; "the Wes Montgomery of the Chitlin' Circuit"
Hoodoo
By Elaine Ayala - Express-News
Web Posted: 07/01/2010 12:00 CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/obituaries/ellison_was_a_guitarist_who_played_at_the_legendary_eastwood_country_club_97533019.html
Blues, country and jazz guitarist Burl Franklin Ellison, who played in
the legendary Eastwood Country Club's house band and with performers
such as Etta James, Al Green and Bobby “Blue” Bland, died Saturday in
San Antonio.
He had battled cancer for four years and was 58.
Ellison was called “the Wes Montgomery of the Chitlin' Circuit”; his
guitar-playing compared to that of the celebrated late jazz guitarist.
“Burl was such a sweet soul,” said friend and live-music promoter Jerry
Clayworth. “The music he made was as sweet and soulful as the man was.”
Ellison toured and recorded with scores of performers, including Ike and
Tina Turner, the Temptations, the Stylistics and The Mighty Clouds of Joy.
One of his favorite musical collaborators was the late Wilbert “Quinia”
Gonzales, a drummer and another Eastwood veteran.
Ellison was equally well known as a session musician, playing in studios
on scores of albums and CDs, largely uncredited on them.
When he lived in Houston, his band, the Mean Machine, played a mixture
of Southeast Texas zydeco and blues. In San Antonio, Burl Ellison &
Nostalgia self-released a CD that contained classic rhythm and blues and
a few original instrumentals by Ellison.
A graduate of Wheatley High School, he was a cardiovascular technician
by day, said his wife, Joanna Ellison.
His family had deep musical roots. Sam Cooke and Bobby Womack were
uncles, his wife said.
Ellison belonged to a second generation of musicians who performed at
the now-closed Eastwood Country Club. Opened in 1954, it booked the
nation's most famous black performers and musicians, including Louis
Armstrong, Duke Ellington, James Brown and B.B. King.
Ellison played there in the 1970s but began performing in the '60s,
while still a teen. He was tutored on guitar by William Allen, who
performed with James and Bobby Purify, who had a hit song in the '60s
with “I'm Your Puppet.”
Ellison was remembered Wednesday for the story he told of getting hired
as Etta James' guitarist for a big Los Angeles concert.
Though not yet fully in command of the guitar, he auditioned anyway. “He
got the job and had to go out and buy a guitar and amp,” Clayworth said.
Ellison was 16.
He played a series of Eastwood reviews from 2006 to 2008, Clayworth
said. Since then, several of its musicians have died. “These guys are
such musical treasures,” he said.
In recent years, Ellison also did studio work with rapper South Park
Mexican.
“He was so versatile,” Clayworth said, “and people in the industry knew it.”
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