Paul deLay

Infobox musical artist
Name = Paul deLay
Img_capt =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Paul Joseph deLay
Born = birth date|1952|1|31
Died = death date and age|2007|3|7|1952|1|31
Origin = Portland, Oregon, United States
Instrument = harmonica, voice
Genre = Blues
Occupation(s) = musician, songwriter
Years_active = c. 1970-2007
Label =
Associated_acts = Paul deLay Blues Band
URL =

Paul Joseph deLay (January 31 1952, Portland, Oregon - March 7 2007), was an American blues vocalist and harmonicist.

Life and career

DeLay's musical career [ [http://www.pauldelay.com/paul.html Paul deLay's web site.] ] started in the early 1970s with a band called "Brown Sugar", which played numerous West Coast gigs. In 1976, he and guitarist Jim Mesi formed the Paul deLay Blues Band, which performed well into the 1980s. The band also recorded several albums during that time.

By the late 1980s, deLay was suffering from alcohol and cocaine addiction. In 1990, he was arrested for drug trafficking, and served a 41-month prison sentence. While he was incarcerated, his band continued without him, performing as the "No deLay Band" and featuring longtime Portland blueswoman Linda Hornbuckle as lead vocalist in lieu of deLay [ [http://www.lindahornbuckle.com/bio.ihtml Linda Hornbuckle's home page.] ] . Upon his release from prison, deLay (now clean and sober) rejoined the band and recorded a series of critically-acclaimed albums.

In 2002 deLay assembled the final version of his band, with David Vest [ [http://www.davidvestband.com David Vest's web site.] ] sharing lead vocals and playing piano, Peter Dammann on guitar, and Jeff Minnick and Dave Kahl on drums and bass. A live CD [ [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QUTS1Q/ The Last of the Best: Live Recordings by the Paul deLay Band.] ] featuring this lineup was released in 2007, entering the Top Ten on Billboard's national blues chart.

Paul deLay continued touring and recording until his final illness. In March 2007, after returning to Portland from a gig in Klamath Falls, Oregon, deLay felt ill and sought medical treatment. It was discovered that he was suffering from end-stage leukemia; he soon lapsed into a coma from which he would not recover. He died in Portland on March 7 2007, aged 55 [Foyston, J. (2007, March 8) [http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1173327939191310.xml&coll=7 Paul deLay: Big man, big notes and a big blues life.] "The Oregonian".] . Memorial concerts in Portland and Seattle attracted large audiences.

Awards and achievements

Over his career, deLay received a W.C. Handy Award for best instrumentalist, a recording of the year award from the Portland Music Association, and several awards from the Cascade Blues Association [Krough, D. (2007, March 7). [http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_030707_news_delay_dies.2b4eea2d.html Portland bluesman Paul deLay dies] . KGW-TV. Retrieved 09 March, 2007.] .

References