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Eddie Baltimore - The Space Between
1. Seven Come Eleven
2.Catfish
3.Moonlight In Paradise 
4.Who's Your Daddy
5.Lovely Mess
6.Any Colour But Blue
7.Goodbye
8.She's A Spy
9.Winter Blues
10.Head South
11.Rock And A Hard Place
12.Bullfrog
13.Shutup And Listen
14.Cold Sidewalk
15.What More Can I Do
16.Redemption
Produced by Eddie Baltimore
Mixed by Lance Anderson asst by Eugene
Brodsky
Eddie Baltimore - Vocals,Dobro Guitars,Guitar
Bruce Longman - Backup Vocals, Bass, Guitar
Jerome Godboo - Harp
Garth Hudson - Organ
Lance Anderson - Wurlitzer, Piano
Mike Sloski - Drums
Dennis Pendrith - Bass
Dennis Keldie - Accordian
Terry Blersch - Guitar
John Meydem - Drums
Dave Raven - Guitar, Backup vocals
Clela Errington - Backup Vocals
Sam Carothers - Bass
Clinton Somerton - Vocal Engineer track 1
Eugene Brodsky - Engineer track 7
Sabastian Chorney - Engineer track 15
asst by Angola Murdoch and Clela Errington
Mastered by Andy Krehm for Silverbirch Productions
Layout and Design by Bruce Longman and Patricia
Ormsby
released 2004
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Eddie Baltimore - The Space Between
Released 2004
The CD that the late Eddie Baltimore had virtually finished was included
with admission tickets to the Memorial Concert at the Silver Dollar on
October 5th. On it you'll find a rather more serious artist than the one
you may remember from his contributions to Slowpoke CDs. In fact, his voice
and delivery remind me of Randy Newman with his sly social commentary.
Sometimes, as on "Cold Sidewalk", it's not sly at all. Notwithstanding
Eddie's expertise in all kinds of roots music, more than half the songs
here are straight blues led by a magnificent Robert Johnson-esque version
of "She's a Spy". New Orleans is represented by the excellent "Bull Frog"
accompanied only by Lance Anderson's piano. It would take too much space
to list all the players but Jerome Godboo, David Raven and Bruce Longman
shine throughout. Other fine songs are "Rock and a Hard Place", "Moonlight
in Paradise" and the lovely "Winter Blues".
John Valenteyn
October 2004
Eddie "Baltimore" Hutchison was a much loved musician on the
Toronto Roots Music scene.
This page is a tribute to him and those he touched with his music and
his life.
If you wish to contribute your thoughts or memories of Eddie to this
page, please click here. 
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Garth Hudson & Eddie Baltimore
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Eddie Baltimore passed away on May the 30th, 2004, at 6:16am with Patty
and Bruce by his side. He spent his last days at home being taken care
of by wife Patrica Ormsby, his best friend Bruce Longman (from Slowpoke)
and his dog beauregard. Eddie worked up until the last week of his life
because of his passion for the music. Bruce and Eddie were still writing
songs 2 days before his passing. One of his last joys was the return of
original Slowpoke member Mitch Wallace and those that saw his final show
3 weeks ago with that line up that included his beloved drummer John Meydam,
will never forget it. There's a hard time ahead for all those who loved
him personally and professionally and we can only turn to ourselves as
a community to get through it. We know Eddie is up there somewhere playing
with his hero's.
George Bernard Shaw, Wrote.
THOSE THAT CAN .... DO
THOSE THAT CANNOT .... TEACH
EDDIE DID BOTH EXCEPTIONALLY WELL
This is so sad, and I am truly shocked.... heart broken.
Eddie and I have been friends since we met playing with Maureen Brown
in Big Hand. We both shared a love for N'Orleans music, cuisine and in
Eddie's case the culture. His trips to the Jazz and Heritage Festival were
the highlights of his year.
I shared honorary keyboardist and accordionist duties with Denis Keldie
in Slowpoke. We had some great times especially on the Sounthern Accent
Mardis Gras cruises. One featured both of us billed and advertised as
"an accordion duel-to-the-death". That was Eddie's sense of humour.
Eddie will not go down in history as one of the musical greats or legends.
He will not be mourned by millions nor his life's work honoured in a retrospective.
But that does not mean that he did not make a contribution. this was his
life's work. It is the hard working artists like Eddie who slog it out
in the trenches, with little recognition who have my greatest respect.
Eddie carried the torch for this music and loved to play it and talk about
it. His complete dedication to following his chosen path, as both a producer
and player, made him special in my mind. He and so many musicians like
him are the backbone of the art. The disciples of the blues.
Eddie and I have recorded some duets and also some full band songs that
featured Garth Hudson on them. This will be finished. Also Eddie answered
the call (as he always did, no questions asked) and came down to London
ON on short notice and recorded Garth and Maud Hudson in concert. His engineering
skills shone on it. His production work with
Willie P. Bennet earned him a Juno. But it is his enthusiasm that was
infectious and inspiring. Eddie was IN. If you had something that was musically
interesting or artistically fulfilling, no matter what the money was ....
count him in. Man, that's priceless. And in this industry that's special!
Eddie's life work was to express himself through his instrument. He
was touched early by a music that came from far away and before his time.
He spent his life connecting to that music's primal force, that he was
drawn to. In this time of war and destruction, here was a soul who did
nothing but attempt to create joy for himself and his listeners. This should
be remembered and celebrated. Our society would do better to encourage
this as a life pursuit, and recognize the positive
contributions artists of all levels make to our world.
Though people die every day, I would like to think that when a musician
with Eddie's gentle heart passes,... even the angels cry.
I do too.
Lance Anderson
We always had a wonderful time when we had Eddie down to Brantford for
our Saturday afternoon Poor Folks/Liquid Lounge matinees. He last graced
our stage on April 10, and, as usual, tore it up. Everyone there loved
his performance, not only for his superb musicianship, but his wit and
humour.
Goodbye, Eddie. It was a genuine pleasure knowin' you.
Larry Goodhand
I had the great privilege of knowing and working with Eddie for a short
4 years. We went on the road together to play a gig in Kingston about 6
weeks ago. Eddie and I travelled together in the van. At that time I was
going through some hard times personally and Eddie listened and gave me
some great advice that helped me through. As we musicians know when you
travel together there is lots of time to talk. Eddie and I swaped stories
of our past, present and future. Eddie's medication made him drowsy and
he apologized as he dozed off to sleep. The gig went great. The crowd was
a young college crowd and Eddie played magnificently as usual. His stories
of blues history, New Orleans, and Memphis wowed the
college kids and I think he made some new blues fans that night. I loved
being around Eddie. His sense of humour (sacrastic and cutting just the
way I like it) , mentorship, and spirit made my world a better place.
Rest in Peace My Friend
Ricky
The real good ones always seem to leave to early. Eddie`s contibution
to music in Toronto was large and he won`t be forgotten. My sincere
condolences go out Patricia, his family, the members of Slowpoke and his
many close friends. GK
Eddie was one of a kind. I never heard anybody play with the same relaxed
intensity that Eddie played. He was a nasty guitar player and an engaging
storyteller. I played about 5 or 6 gigs with Eddie and they were all magical.
He had a great sense of mischief in his performing style. One gig in Port
Credit Eddie started telling jokes in the style of Redd Fox. The audience
was blown away with his sense of humour, laughing to the point that some
people were almost crying. After about 10 minutes the crowd gave Eddie
a standing ovation and we took a break. The last joke was "Please don't
tell my mother that I have working as a blues musician. She thinks I am
a successful Dope dealer."
Chris Murphy London On
Eddie beyond being a great musician and lyricist was a friend
to many of us in the Blues community. He always offered to come to
my need
when he knew you needed it. That was just his way.
Eddie's talent and friendship will be truly missed.
To me and many others, he will never be forgotten.
Sail on Brother.
Eddy B (Brake)
a man with a blue heart
Eddie and I worked together in a couple of bands; Slowpoke, a band
he had with Brian Potts and my band; Maureen Brown & Big Hand.
I always enjoyed Eddie's playing and his great sense of humour. We
both enjoyed New Orleans music immensely and I think that is where we originally
connected. It is a shame that we will never share the same stage
(in this life) again and I will miss him. He left us too soon.
I send my regards to Patricia and the rest of Eddie's family, not forgetting
his lovely basset hound. We will miss you, Eddie.
Sincerely,
Maureen Brown
Eddie was a wonderful and compassionate music fan and professional.
Working in the studio with him was a great experience... we worked, we
laughed, we got the job done.
The saddest thing is Eddie was scheduled to perform at Rick Fielding's
memorial on June 5th. Now it appears that the same set of performers should
consider adding a new date.
Michael Burke
Cordova Bay Entertainment Group, Inc
This is shocking and sad news indeed. Eddie Hutchison aka Baltimore
and I also go back a ways. In the seventies when he provided musical /
guitarbackbone for Charlotte Melby and Pretty Face, I booked the band.
We got to hang out a lot and endure the scuffs and bumps of music in bars
where"commercial" music kept the taverns full or at least active. Years
later when we re-acquainted we got to hang in his musical mecca, New Orleans,
during jazzfest. Eddie and I worked on the TBS blues and the schools structure
before Alec Sinclair picked it up. Eddie got out into the schools
through the BITS programme, and got in front of Harris Institute students
in a well earn ed day job teaching studio tech. I forgot about him being
in the band with Madagascar Slim opening for Alifarka Toure, listed below
in Brian Blain's gig plug.
Eddie big ears. Damn shame he is gone. Derek- played psychedelic country
blues with "the HUMBLE SPONGE " in yorkville, opened for JOHNNY WINTER
at MASSEY HALL- worked with Jamaican recording star CARLENE DAVIS through
mid 70's- toured in relentless obscurity for 80's- fronted SLOWPOKE since
1990- engineered over 50 cd's to date- won juno as engineer on WILLIE P
BENNETT's "HEARSTRINGS" in 1999- gigged in san francisco, santa cruz, memphis,
new orleans , and thenorth bay rib-fest- opened for ALI FARKA TOURE with
MADAGASCAR SLIM- wrote original music for and had songs in TWO feature
movies- sat in with IRMA THOMAS in her club in new orleans, and with membersof
FATS DOMINO's band- has autographs of MUDDY WATERS and SCOTTY MOORE- still
alive after all those years of playing in every kind of venueimaginable,
from concert halls to supermarkets, from prisons to gardenparties, and
even a concert for 12 priests at the briars in jackson'spoint (and no,
they didn't dance).
Derek Andrews
I saw Eddie perform just over a year ago at a St. Catharine's
at a matinee. Eddie's performance was a breath of fresh air to say
the least. I waited for break and inquired as to who he was.
We exchanged numbers and I had the pleasure of booking Eddie for 5 subsequent
shows. Picasso once said it took him his whole life to paint like
a child. Eddie had these childlike characteristics, perhaps that
is what drew me to him. Whatever the reason I was touched by Eddie
and I am grateful to have made his acquaintance.
Peter Swanek
About 15 years ago, Eddie joined me for a show at Ryerson. I
was the newbie. He was supportive and professional. He's been an
active influence on the Canadian Scene. May he keep making music
whereever he is.
LiANA
My sympathies to Eddie's partner Patricia and hundreds of friends -
mostly musicians. There have been tributes all over the radio today - what
a great impact he had on the Toronto music community. Zoe Chilco has started
working on a story for the next MapleBlues. I only met Eddie a few times,
and I was looking forward to playing with him at a guitar workshop I was
hosting at this year's Winterfolk. Eddie didn't make it to that gig and
now I know why... he was deathly ill. Sorry I didn't make it to his
funeral -I'm told there was a couple of hundred players there. I
was moved to tears reading the tribute Lance Anderson posted on this page.
Lance said "Even the angels are crying" and Eddie looks positively angelic
in that
photo with Garth Hudson. Gentle heart, indeed. That's what I'll always
remember about Eddie Baltimore.
Brian Blain
Gonna miss ya Eddie.
Andy McClelland
Eddie Baltimore will probably be most remembered for his quick one
liners, but man, was he a good musician! I had the privilege of working
with him in Slowpoke for a couple of years, getting to know him really
well. He taught so many people how to play and be heard. I think I'll always
fondly remember his query when seeing me: "How's your leather bag?" (I
am a postie). I'll put some Slowpoke on and toast him tonight. May his
heaven be filled with divine beagles.
Steve Fruitman
CIUT-FM
I also first met Eddie when he was a member of Big Hand,and a
year or two later,I helped find Slowpoke a couple of gigs in the Niagara
Region.He always found a way to crack me up,and when we opened up Readers
in Dunnville,our audience was fortunate to see and hear Eddie and the band
on two occasions as well as another concert he put on during our SouthCoast
Bluesfest in 2002. We spent a lot of time e-mailing back and forth
over the past few years,and our electronic conversations were always hilarious
as we discussed many topics,including the sociological and environmental
benefits of monkey bread(don't ask!) His version of Little
Feat's Willin' continues to be a favorite, and he certainly brought the
passion and the spice of New Orleans to our little shack on the Grand River,and
we will never forget our Mardi Gras party with Eddie throwin out the beads
while Lance Anderson brought forth some zydeco on his squeeze box.
I know that I speak for my partners and our audience members when I say
that he was truly a very special musician and person and friend,and we're
gonna miss him dearly.
Mark Neveu
p.s. also sorry that he'll never get to see his beloved Leafs win the
Cup (not like that was ever gonna happen!)
I had the privilege and honour of spending time with eddie before his
death. We had met seven years ago when he recorded tunes for my first collection.
Then and in subsequent sessions, any time spent with ed was a pleasure;
he was always a thoughtful, thorough and creative professional in his art,
and an amazing musician. And then, on top of all that, he was a sweetheart
of a person and a friend, and crazy fun. Perverse whenever he could be,
to my continued delight; it’s hard to believe he is gone. Seeing his picture
on this site made me unbearably sad.
I had known he was going to die. Besides the connection through music,
I had become a therapist to eddie in the last few months. It was wonderful
and awful – wonderful to be with him, and his ‘spirit’, as I experienced
his energy, and awful to see him in such pain. But he would not stop living
and doing, not until the very last moment. He played and recorded right
to the end – a monumental task - but for him, the only way to go… I loved
him and will miss him.
Zoe Chilco
The luckiest of us have five people in ours lives that you can always
count on, each one possessing specific qualities . (The Circle of Five).
These are the ones you call in the middle of the night. They are ones who
respond immediately without asking what you want or why you are calling.
They are the ones who you don't talk to for a year and then when you do
its as if you saw them yesterday. In 1985 I was introduced to someone who
would complete for me that special circle. The highest honour I could ever
hope to achieve, for my life, is if I was that for him.
Meegwich Ed.
Tom
(down to four now)
I had the pleasure of teaching at the Harris Institute with Ed for
the past 15 years. He and Slowpoke played at my 40th birthday
about 12 years ago, so we go back a bit. But far from being a "jaded
old fart", he still had more passion for good music than most people half
his age.
He always had a joke that he couldn't wait to spring on you.
Eddie was loved and respected by his students (as head of the department,
I got to read all the student/teacher evaluations). He was
one of those rare guys in the music business that you never heard a bad
word about from anyone.
In the words of our mutual friend songwriter Norm Hacking, "I'm richer
for the time we spent together"
You were in it for all the right reasons, my friend.
Doug McClement
I have just heard the news of Eddie's promotion to the big blues band.
Although I have not kept in contact with Eddie over the years, my sense
of loss is large. I first met Ed in the early 80's when I replaced him
in a band called Big Deal. When I left Big Deal I was hired by Winston
Hancock to fill the vacancy left by ,you guessed it, Ed.This became a running
joke between Ed and myself and we got a lot of mileage from it . On two
occasions Ed asked me to join Slowpoke for some engagements. I can 't remember
having so much fun on a bandstand. Ed's sense of humour and his mischievous
nature lightened our lives and all who worked with him will mourn his contribution
to music and to our lives My condolences to his family in this sad time.
I'll miss you Eddie, Rock on buddy.
Trevor Huggett
I'm a 60-year-old just learning to play guitar. I had the pleasure
of a dozen or so lessons with Eddie, down in his basement. What a gentle,
kind man! I'm sure it must be frustrating for a musician of Eddie's
calibre to sit and listen to the painful fumblings of someone like me,
but he did it so graciously and enthusiastically. I have some notes from
him with some exercises that I'll treasure and make sure I master, for
Eddie's sake as well as my own. I'll miss you, Eddie.
Martin Wills
Eddy, we miss you as much as Satchmo missed New Orleans....
Do you know what is means to miss New Orleans, and miss it, each night
and day?
I know I'm not wrong, the feelin's gettin' stronger the longer I stay
away
Miss the moist covered vines, the tall sugar pines, where mocking birds
use to sing.
And I like to see the lazy Mississippi, a hurrying in to spring
The moonlight on the bayou, A Creole tune that fills the air;
I dream about magnolias in June, and soon I'm wishin' that I was there
Do you know what is means to miss New Orleans when that's where you
left your heart?
And there's one thing more:I miss the one I care for, more than I miss
New Orleans
Denis Keldie
Eddie Baltimore was a great man. He had an amazing sense of humor and
would always be making jokes and making everyone laugh. Eddie was my uncle
and I couldn't of asked for a better one. 3 years ago I had the honour
of having guitar lessons with him but unfortunately they only lasted for
one very interesting year. After that I got to busy to have lessons but
I always regret not going back for more.
I remember hearing a story of when Eddie and my dad went out drinking
one night and on the way home they stopped at St. Mikes cemetery and climbed
the fence. When they were in there my dad took his bagpipes and started
to play amazing grace. that was the kind of guy that Eddie was he was always
having fun and lived life to the fullest. He was truly one of a kind.
I miss my uncle Ted alot but I know that he is in heaven right now looking
over all of us.
Thank you to everyone who has been to this page and wrote something
down in memory of Eddie Baltimore. I have told my family about this page
and they are very greatfull and they really appreciate what everyone has
done.
Rock on Uncle Ted we'll miss ya
Brian "BJ" Hutchison
"Ted" as I knew him, and later "Ed", and I grew up together across
the street from each other in suburban Toronto and became childhood friends
in the late 50s, early 60s. I haven't seen him in over 30 years, but was
saddened to learn of his recent passing. I'd like to contribute some thoughts
on his early life.
As young kids we shared a passion for sports, particularly baseball
("wall ball" at the local public school, Overland Drive), ball hockey,
and evening football games on the school lawn. I remember Ed as an excellent
athlete and a great competitor. When we weren't on one field or another
we'd be collecting baseball cards -- I can remember using the cards to
draft players, run our own "league", and keep stats.
But we didn't limit ourselves to sports. Ed was an intelligent, creative
kid and between the two of us we could think up all kinds of things to
get into. We'd head over to Edwards Gardens and have chesnut wars with
neighbouring streets, buy jello packs & eat the powder, but toss away
the flavour buds, or spend hours in Ed's basement crafting weird creatures
using a torch and toy soldiers.
All of us have defining moments in our lives, and I believe that one
of those for Ed came from a serious illness that he beat while in high
school at St. Mike's. If my memory serves me correctly, it was around that
time that he took up the guitar. I can recall his first band with John
Filion, now a city councillor, watching them practice in Ed's parents'
basement on Paperbirch Drive.
We slowly drifted apart when we went to different high schools. Ed turned
to music and that wasn't my thing. The last band that I remember was Humble
Sponge. I look back on those years and now recognize what a remarkable
person he was. My condolesences to those close to him.
Kirk Polson
I had the privilege to play with Eddie on a couple different occasions.
I just wanted to say that his passing was a shock to me and I send my condolences
to his family. Eddie was a great player and a great person and I am honored
to have known him.
Mike Hayes
I first met Ed as an underage teenager drinking at the Village Inn
(I’m not absolutely positive that’s the right name) in Sutton, Ontario
in the summer of 1980. I loved the band (Big Deal) – they were playing
a really wide mix of stuff unlike anything I’d heard live before – and
they got the crowd out on the dance floor. I was a wannabe musician
at the time and bent poor Eddie’s ear for as long as I could. Instead
of sloughing me off, we ended up in a great, expansive conversation during
which he poured out his passion for the music he loved. I bought
my first Ry Cooder record because of him.
Many years later, as the host of Dr. Feelgood’s Blues Emporium,
I reconnected with Eddie when Slowpoke was born. Amazingly, when
I told him the above story, he picked the thread of it up, remembering
details I couldn’t (like the name of the venue J). He was a generous
soul, quick to credit others, too easily downplaying his own contribution
to the musical alchemy of the bands he played in and shows he gave.
To his family, friends and band mates, I offer my condolences.
David Barnard AKA Dr. Feelgood
It was a honour to have worked, played and known Eddie Baltimore. Eddie
& Patricia bought us a wonderful blues book and the inscription reads
as follows: " To Dave & Roberta, Inspiration for Bobby's Blues Band...from
the head of your fan club and your producer/engineer...Love, Patricia and
Eddie ** and of course, your best listener with the necessary earage for
the job, Beau. David & I treasure the time we spent with Ed. We miss
him, love him, always will. We know he's jammin' with Muddy & The Wolf.
Dave & Roberta Barrett
Ed Baltimore and I shared a few things over the past 1/2 century. We
both started out in rock "n" roll in beautiful downtown Don Mills. And...
attended the same Public School (Overland Drive). Ed was a few years behind
me in age, but a world ahead of me in his understanding and grasp of this
new music they called rock "n" roll.
Over the years our paths crossed many times...I was there when Ed, Mitch
and Brian Potts started Slowpoke, I hung out at the Rockit when Eddy and
the Hitmen was a cookin' group. I was around when Maureen Brown started
Big Hand and Ed was there making a huge contribution.
My times with Ed were always a revelation..I learned stuff I never thought
I would in his company. I remember crawling into my family van with Ed,
Mitch & Brian to travel to Sir Sam's Inn in Haliburton on more than
on occasion to perform. God, we had three guys a ton of gear and lots to
talk about with Ed taking us all down the long and winding road of his
musical experience. What joyous times we had.
From time to time Ed would sit in with the guys who have helped me create
an alter-ego – Midnight Al& The Raging Butanes. And from time to time
I was invited to sit in with one of Ed's groups. I will treasure those
memories.
Through Ed I met some of the greats in Canada's music biz. Denis Keldie,
Lance Anderson, Maureen Brown to name just a few.
I will always be in Ed's debt.
For the last 5 years or so I've been hanging out in Halifax and so I
wasn't able to see Ed on a regular basis (we did communicate via e-mail
on occasion) ...that does not lessen the my sorrow. I will miss him.
Midnight Al Graham
TRIBUTE TO ED HUTCHISON
I first met Ed Hutchison as my Electronics teacher at Harris Institute
for the Arts in Toronto. His thoughtful, patient, and down-to-earth
teaching style was extremely valuable to me as a student in that class
and was inspirational when I myself became a teacher at Harris Institute
years later. Ed was also my first instructor in the school¹s
recording studio thank goodness! His extraordinary ability
to communicate in a clear, intelligent, and knowledgeable manner helped
me make sense out of what at first seemed like an overwhelming environment.
In addition to our relationship at Harris Institute, Ed and I worked
together doing live sound at some very eclectic shows in Toronto and he
kindly took me on as an intern at his studio, The Recording Service.
He was immensely influential in helping me develop my taste for acoustic
music and my style as a sound technician at the Flying Cloud Folk Club
in Toronto.
These were wonderful experiences that I will always treasure.
Of all the exceptional faculty and staff members at Harris Institute,
no one engaged me musically the way Ed did, and he treated me like a colleague
from the first time I walked into his classroom. If I could say one
thing to Ed today, it would be ³thank you².
May he rest in peace and may God bless and comfort his family and friends.
Clinton C. Somerton
Music Industry Math Instructor
HARRIS INSTITUTE FOR THE ARTS
Community & Media Relations Manager
METRONOME CANADA FOUNDATION
I had the tremendous opportunity and pleasure on learning from, and
playing with, Ed when I was 19. It was the first full-time professional
band that I played with and Eddie hired me. From him, I learned a
lot about music and guitar, the music business, and how to (and not to)
survive "on the road". Some of the "road rules" were taught and broken
at the same time! This knowledge kept me alive and pretty well throughout
the rest of my career in the music business.
Later on I was a major fan of Eds' work in Slow Poke and was fortunate
enough to sit in on a few occasions. On another occasion, Ed invited
me to come jam at the Silver Dollar club with him. Between sets,
we were asked to do a fill in set at Grossmans, following Jeff Healy (of
all people to have to follow). With Eddie's professionalism assured, our
set went hot and smoothly as did virtually every performance I did with
Ed (Well there was that one time I was drunk when I was 19 on stage with
Ed .... man, did he give me deserved heat the next day!!)
His musical style greatly influenced my playing and I can remember the
first of his songs that he taught me ... I can still play that song
20 years later! When I had a transplant in 2000, I called Ed to get
re-aquainted our friendship was instantly re-established. Through
my recovery I receive numerous emails and calls from him seeing how I was,
often riddled with his unique searing wit and observations regarding life
in general.
I feel not only has the music scene in Canada lost a tremendous talent,
but I have lost a friend, mentor and major influence. He will be
greatly missed.
Rob Fraser Morritt
We are ALL richer for knowing Ed.
He was a great man, player and teacher. I especially enjoyed the bad jokes
that seemed to spring from a well eternal, no idea where on earth these came
from but man, were they entertaining. We had the honour and pleasure of
having Ed put down some smokin' slide playing on our first record. He was
also kind enough to help us out with those tracks during the album release a few
months later. He wasn't well, but he still played the hell out of those
songs, without a word of complaint or worry. He was just happy to be
playing. We were, and still are, honoured by his prescience there that
night and, happily, we have the performance on film.
He'll be missed but never forgotten.
The music he made is his legacy, as are the relationships that he formed while
playing and teaching. The world has lost a great man but with his passing
we can all rest assured that those that have passed on have one helluva great
player to keep them smilin'. Thanks Ed, may you play on and may your
guitar always stay in tune.
Tweed
-drummer, Open Wide Music
You
were a real bastard (in the nicest possible way) and you taught me so
damn much that I never really could forget you. You see you were of genius
intellect, exciting, worldly and the first slide player I had ever heard.
Oh. and after hearing several others over the years, the best one as well. You
also introduced me to crossword puzzles (I bet I could almost beat you at them
now). We used to spend hours playing cribbage. NO ONE on earth could ever
possibly have gotten the high scores we used to get. It was like magic. We
were like magic actually, even if it was only for a short time. You wanted to
be a father badly and so you embraced my little boy with open arms and an
insistence that he call you Daddy. Which he did and to this day you are still
the only man he ever called Daddy.
Musically,
you started my career. We met at a party and you heard me sing and you got my
number and asked if you could form a band around me. I was entranced and fell
right into the whole experience.
We
had a ball!!! We were hot together!
You
were so funny and crazy. The things we used to do. I could write a book!
I
loved your silver hair, your perfect nose and your pale big blue eyes. You
always reminded me of an eagle. Soaring ... always soaring.
Your
love for music was inspiring but your love for the Blues was positively
contagious. I'm still playing full time and I draw on things you taught me almost
every time I'm on stage. It impresses my fellow musicians that I know that
stuff.
Your
whole family was always wonderful. Your Moms sweetness and her cooking
was like a fairytale. Your Dads warmth and kindness legend. Your brother Brian
was pretty cute too.
Thank-you
for being a part of my life and teaching me so much.
I
hope to see you again in another life.
Also see 
