Lucille Spann

Lucille Spann (June 23, 1938 – August 2, 1994), was an American blues singer who participated in the Chicago Blues community in the 1960s and 1970s.

Life and works Lucille Spann was born Mahalia Lucille Jenkins in Bolton, Mississippi, the ninth child of Gertrude and Sherman Jenkins. Her mother died before she was five, and she was brought up by her father and her sisters. She started out singing gospel music, and was banned from listening to the blues. Nevertheless, she developed a liking for Bessie Smith, T-Bone Walker and other blues singers.

She became one of the musicians who recorded with Spivey Records alongside Otis, Muddy Waters, Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, Sammy Lawhorn, Paul Oscher, Pee Wee Madison, S. P. Leary and Willie Smith.

After Otis Spann's death in 1970, she continued singing, making recordings with Mighty Joe Young. She also participated in a festival dedicated to Otis Spann on September 10, 1972, featuring John Sinclair, Sun Ra, Freddie King, Luther Allison, Johnny Shines, Otis Rush and Sippie Wallace. In 2017 the Killer Blues Headstone Project placed the headstone for Lucille Spann at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Vicksburg.

Discography Cry Before I Go (BluesWay, 1974) With Otis Spann The Bottom of the Blues (BluesWay, 1968) Cryin' Time (Vanguard, 1969)