Chicago blues guitarist and bassist Dave Myers, 74, whose percussive style earned him the nickname “Thumper,” died Monday, Sept. 3, in Waterfront Terrace nursing home in Chicago from diabetes-related complications.
Hailed as one of the creators of the classic Chicago blues bass sound, Mr. Myers released only one solo album, making his name and reputation more as a talented accompanist and premier session player for renowned artists, including Little Walter Jacobs, Otis Rush and Earl Hooker.
“He created the rhythms which are integral to Chicago blues,” said Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records. “He was also a very subtle, tasteful and very traditional blues guitar player, and he had a beautiful voice.”
Born in Byhalia, Miss., Mr. Myers moved to Chicago in 1941 and with his brother, Louis, formed a groundbreaking band known as The Three Aces, Chicago’s first electric blues band. With harmonica player Junior Wells, the trio–later renamed The Aces–played Chicago blues hot spots, including the Checkerboard Lounge and Theresa’s in the late 1940s. Drummer Fred Below joined the band in 1950. Mr. Myers was the last surviving member.
“They brought a sense of swing to Chicago blues,” Iglauer said. “Dave was also one of the very first blues bass players to use an electric bass.”
Although not a front man, Mr. Myers left an important creative legacy as a member of the first generation of Chicago blues musicians.
“Davey was the last of his kind,” said family friend and fellow musician Chris James. “There was no one like him and there won’t be anyone like him again. He was such a character, such a robust man and very full of life. He was quite sure of himself, and he lived his life the way he wanted to live it.”
Throughout his career, Mr. Myers eschewed the lead role on stage, friends said, preferring to be the backbone of the band.He often handled practical details such as hiring.
“I know he was really proud of the fact that he not only made music but that he was also the organizer and the bandleader,” said longtime friend Dick Shurman. “He held the music together. He wasn’t the flashy guy up front, but he kept it in the pocket and held the beat together.”
Mr. Myers also raised his son alone after his wife, Fannie Mae, died in the late 1960s.
“He was a really solid, upright person,” Shurman said. “Any negative stereotype of what a blues player is doesn’t fit Dave. He was the classic good guy, and a positive role model.”
Mr. Myers last played in public in Chicago in February, friends said. He had to cancel a planned appearance at June’s Chicago Blues Festival because of his worsening illness.
Survivors include his son, David Jr.; two sisters, Louise Porter and Nancy McCray; two grandchildren; and a great-grandson. Services have been held.
