Bluesfest favorite Big Walter Smith dead at 82

Talk about it

Big Walter Smith, a favorite musician and adopted Duluth son who played at every Bayfront Blues Festival, died Tuesday morning at his home in Minneapolis, his family reported.

Smith was 82 and had been suffering from pancreatic cancer and recently had a stroke.

He had been planning to play in Duluth if his health held up. He’s the only musician to have played at every Blues Fest.

The 24th annual event at Bayfront Festival Park starts Aug. 10. Smith was scheduled to play at noon on Aug. 11. His band, the Groove Merchants, told news outlets in the Twin Cities area that it would honor the tour dates this summer.

There will be a memorial service starting at 4 p.m. Aug. 5 at Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapel, 5125 W. Broadway Ave., Crystal.

“He’s really the big reason the festival ever came to be,” bluesfest founder Chris Mackey told the Star Tribune. Mackey told the paper that he booked Smith at the Harbor Inn’s bar in Duluth and saw his popularity rise, planting a seed for the fest. The noon slot on Saturday was his spot, Mackey said.

“He was a good wake-up call, and he would get a lot of people to come out early.”

Tags: arts and entertainment, entertainment, minnesota, arts, updates