James Gurley, original lead guitar player for Janis Joplin's Big Brother and the Holding Co. has gone to that old celestial jam session in the sky. He died of a heart attack in Palm Springs at the age of 69.
I saw Big Brother play twice, once at the Tribal Stomp and long past their prime, at Rick Griffin's funeral. Gurley was still very original and the band was fun to see and hear.
We are losing more and more of the great psychedelic musicians, many who never attained the respect that they were due for their contributions. Puff a fat one for James Gurley.
