Barrelhouse Chuck Goering passed away yesterday. I met Chuck when he was still a teenager in Seattle. He had a band called Blue Lights and his plan even then was to move to Chicago and become a great blues piano player. Well, Chuck certainly realized his dream. He relocated to the Windy City and spent years learning from and befriending blues piano titans like Sunnyland Slim, Little Brother Montgomery, Blind John Davis, and Pinetop Perkins. Chuck took care of Little Brother Montgomery in his last years. Chuck’s own career took off, and he became the in-demand piano player for shows and recordings for likes of Kim Wilson and other blues luminaries. I had some great times with Chuck. Once when he came to Seattle with Kim Wilson he asked me to take him to the Experience Music Project museum. Turned out Chuck was a huge Hendrix fan, and he wanted to see the exhibit there on Jimi. He really had a ball. That’s what I will remember about Chuck—his infectious enthusiasm and passion, and his positive energy. We’ve lost a huge talent and a great human being with his passing.
