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"He'd play late, then he'd spray himself with a bunch of mosquito spray and sleep in his van," Stolle said.
Stolle said Ford recorded seven albums with three labels, including three albums with Fat Possum Records in Oxford, Miss.
Clarksdale Mayor Bill Luckett, who co-owns the city's Ground Zero Blues Club with actor Morgan Freeman, said Ford was "a master of old-school blues" with an international following.
"His music would take you right back to the heart and soul of the Delta, back in the day," Luckett said.
Ford would show up for gigs early and often play longer than expected, even when he started experiencing heart problems in recent years, Stolle said. Ford would also swig Jack Daniels on stage and chat with the audience. Often, he'd pick out a happy-looking couple that included an attractive woman and would talk directly to the man.
"He'd say, 'You'd better put your stamp on her because if she flags my train, I'm going to let her ride,'" Stolle said. "He'd do it with a gleam in his eye and a smile. He could get away with a lot."
[Associated
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