Page 32 - BiTS_05_MAY_2025

Eddie didn’t seem bothered, and recorded in his usual laid back style. A wonderful
single - ‘The Big Boat/Sent For You Yesterday’ (two tracks not on the LP) was also

released, featuring some exquisite guitar playing by Green, particularly on the A-side.

There was a loose plan to make a follow up album, but it never happened. Eddie went
back to Europe, living in Antwerp, briefly in Switzerland, and then Denmark until

1969. At a booking at the Safari Club, in Helsinki, in March 1970, he met his future
wife, Leila, and moved to Finland. They were married seven years later.

Between 1974 and 1984 he worked and recorded extensively in Europe, releasing
around 10 albums (though not all of them in the UK), many of which were made in
Finland, and featured several of their finest blues and jazz musicians.

On 14th October 1980 Eddie underwent heart surgery, and had a pacemaker fitted,
but after a period of convalescence he returned to work, and even visited the US one
last time, to appear at the 1986 Chicago Blues Festival. As the 1980s came to a close

he was more involved with gospel music, and his final work (in this idiom) was
released on cassette in 1993.

However, his health had been failing for a number of years, and he died on 13th July

1994, at the age of 80. He was laid to rest at Helsinki Parish Church, Vantaa, Finland.

As with so many blues artistes, his life had been hard, but he had found respect, love
and a better life in Europe. His music lives on in the various cd compilations of his

many recordings for a multitude of labels, now available, including “Blue Monday
Blues - 1950-1960 Sides” (Soul Jam), “The Singles Collection 1947-1962” (Acrobat),
and “The Complete Blue Horizon Session” (Blue Horizon). The “Eddie Boyd & His Blues

Band” album, with the Bluesbreakers can also still be found, as can “Live In
Switzerland 1968” (Storyville). I recommend them all!