Jerry Beach

Jerry Marlon Beach (December 11, 1941-January 10, 2016) was an American blues musician. His father was stationed with the U.S. Army air corpse in Oklahoma City. He spent his first 2 years of high school in London where he learned how to play guitar before him and his family settled in Bossier City, Louisiana.^[1]

Jerry graduated from Bossier High School in 1960, and briefly attended Northwestern State University, but by then he was sitting in with local bands playing guitar and singing.By the mid-60s, him and Danny Harrelson were headlining local clubs as "Danny and Jerry". He was a favorite on regional music scenes for 56 years in several bands such as: "Jerry Beach Band" or "Robin and the Bluebirds". Until November, he dedicated every Monday night for 30 years to host a Blues jam every week.

He was inducted to the Louisiana Hall of Fame in 1998, but his international fame resulted from his songwriting. In 1972, the late Albert King recorded Jerry's "I'll Play the Blues For You", which became a #1 R&B hit and has been covered by many artists.^[2] He also was nominated for a Grammy Award for the song.

He was proceeded in death by his parents, his two brothers, and his mother in law. He is survived by his two daughters, his grandchildren, his former wife, all of Shreveport; and brother Randal Beach from Dallas, Texas, and David Beach of Washington, D.C.

References