Veteran Bluesman Paul deLay Dies at 55

The NW blues legend passed away suddenly from leukemia.

Photo courtesy: PauldeLay.com

(PORTLAND) - Extremely popular NW blues performer Paul deLay who has been on Oregon's music scene for more than three decades passed away Wednesday from Leukemia.

According to Jimmy Lloyd Rea of Baker City, Oregon, Paul had been in and out of hospitals for more than ten years, but the leukemia was not noted until 48 hours before he died.

It is reported that Paul deLay felt ill after a benefit performance at Klamath Falls’ Ross Ragland Theater. Paul thought it might be from the band's recent Mexico trip. But shortly after doctors diagnosed late-stage leukemia, Paul deLay went into a coma.

A lifelong resident of Portland, Paul deLay and others formed an electric band called Brown Sugar and played the West Coast, laying a foundation for Portland's reputation as a blues city.

In two decades touring the West Coast blues circuit, opening on larger stages for numerous national acts, and releasing a half-dozen acclaimed recordings of its own, The Paul deLay Band became known throughout the Pacific Northwest for its hard-hitting blues and R&B.

The Portland-based group earned a reputation that extends far beyond the region: band leader deLay is ranked among the finest blues harmonica players alive, and his work on the chromatic harp is considered by many to be unrivaled.

Following his much publicized drug bust in January 1990, deLay spent nearly two years awaiting trial-playing, singing and writing like there was no tomorrow.

During that period, he produced The Other One (1991) and Paulzilla (1992), his finest recordings to that point, and ones that established him as a formidable songwriter as well as a harmonica virtuoso.

deLay began serving a 41-month sentence at the Federal Penitentiary in Sheridan, Oregon on May 15, 1992. (For a thorough, finely written account of Paul deLay's rise, fall, drug bust and recovery, see "Paul deLay: Groovin' In Limbo," the cover story in Blues Access Fall 1991).

Upon his release in January 1995, deLay was rejoined by the core of his band---Louis Pain on Hammond organ, Chicago-born Peter Dammann on guitar, and Dan Fincher on tenor sax---with new members John Mazzocco on bass (formerly with John Lee Hooker and Curtis Salgado), and Mike Klobas on drums (formerly with Lloyd Jones Struggle). Since its debut in January '95, this ensemble has drawn raves for its seamless arrangements and fiery musicianship.

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Special thanks to KPTV Oregon FOX-12 and PauldeLay.com for information in this report.