A public funeral for Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins, the 97-year-old Grammy winning blues pianist who passed away in Austin on Monday from cardiac arrest, will be held on Monday, March 28 at Cook-Walden Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. It will be followed by a celebration of life at Antone's Blues Club beginning at 8 p.m.
"There will be a lot of people that he's played with in Chicago and elsewhere," Susan Antone said, referring to the celebration of life. She declined to name specific artists until details were hammered out.
Antone, a longtime friend of Perkins', says donations may be made to the Pinetop Perkins Foundation in lieu of flowers.
The Pinetop Perkins Foundation is a tax exempt non-profit organization. It's mission is to provide encouragement and support for youth and young people at the beginning of their musical career; and help provide care and safety for elderly musicians at the twilight of their career.
Perkins will be buried in Clarksdale, Mississippi on April 1. Clarksdale is home to the Delta Blues Museum and the Hopson Plantation, which hosts an annual music festival where Perkins had performed.
Atone's Blues Club will host an impromptu musical tribute for Perkins at 7:30 tonight.
