RAY CHARLES - BLUES SINGER AND PIANIST FLOYD DIXON DIES

BLUES SINGER AND PIANIST FLOYD DIXON DIES

FLOYD DIXON, a singer and jump-blues pianist who influenced RAY CHARLES, has died. He was 77. Dixon died on Wednesday 26 July (06) of cancer at Chapman Memorial Hospital in Orange, California. An entertainer who dubbed himself "Mr Magnificent", Dixon's best-known song was HEY BARTENDER, which was made popular by THE BLUES BROTHERS. He became an influential figure in the R+B scene in Southern California in the 1950s. Among his other notable recordings were WINE, WINE, WINE, CALL OPERATOR 210, TELEPHONE BLUES and the early JERRY LIEBER-MIKE STOLLER song TOO MUCH JELLY ROLL. Dixon never married and is survived by two first cousins, MARIE BANKS and MARY DIXON.