Harry Muskee
Encyclopedia
Harry "Cuby" Muskee was the singer of the blues
band Cuby + Blizzards, which he co-founded with Eelco Gelling
.
Muskee was born in Assen
, and died in Rolde
aged 70.
Only after the war – when he was four years old – he saw his father for the first time. The family moved to Rotterdam
, but returned to Assen after two years. His mother suffered from multiple sclerosis
and could not properly care for her child. Because his father, a fire chief
, was mostly away from home, his grandmother largely took care of Muskee.
At the age of ten Muskee became member of the soccer club Achilles 1894 and at fifteen he went for his first guitar lessons. At high school he came into contact with jazz and Dixieland music. Together with the brothers Henk and Jaap Hilbrandie he founded the band The Mixtures. From this band emerged later on the Old Fashioned Jazz Group. This band mostly played at school dances in Assen.
Through listening to the American Forces Network
radio station – for U.S. soldiers stationed in nearby Germany – Muskee came into contact with blues music. When he discovered the album Live at Newport by John Lee Hooker
, he decided that he also wanted to make this kind of music.
In 1961, when Muskee was 20 years years old, his mother died, and a year later his grandmother died. Shortly afterwards, Muskee broke through with The Blizzards.
After the breakup of Cuby + Blizzards – in 1972 – he toured around with formations like Red White 'n Blue, the Harry Muskee Band, the Muskee Gang and Muskee. Ultimately, the original name Cuby + Blizzards proved to be the most catchy and under this name, assisted by the Groningen guitarist Erwin Java, Muskee toured for many years around the world.
In addition, he presented music programs on Radio Drenthe. For the same channel, he made a study tour through the southern states of the United States in search of the roots of the blues.
A statue of Harry Muskee was placed in Grolloo, in 1997.
Muskee died in Rolde on 26 September 2011 due to the effects of cancer.
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
band Cuby + Blizzards, which he co-founded with Eelco Gelling
Eelco Gelling
Eelco Gelling is a Dutch blues guitarist. He and Jan Akkerman are stated as the two top notch guitar players from the Netherlands. Gelling played with Cuby + Blizzards till 1976. Then he joined Golden Earring where he played for several years...
.
Muskee was born in Assen
Assen
Assen is a municipality and a city in the north eastern Netherlands, capital of the province of Drenthe. It received city rights in 1809. Assen's main claim to fame is the TT Circuit Assen the motorcycle racing circuit, where on the last Saturday in June the Dutch TT is run...
, and died in Rolde
Rolde
Rolde is a town in the Dutch province of Drenthe. It is a part of the municipality of Aa en Hunze, and lies about 6 km east of Assen.Rolde was a separate municipality until 1998, when it became a part of Aa en Hunze....
aged 70.
Biography
Muskee was born during the war in the Wilhelmina Hospital in Assen. Early on, he lived with his mother at his grandmother's place, because his father was captured and transported to Germany.Only after the war – when he was four years old – he saw his father for the first time. The family moved to Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, but returned to Assen after two years. His mother suffered from multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
and could not properly care for her child. Because his father, a fire chief
Fire chief
Fire Chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department, either elected or appointed...
, was mostly away from home, his grandmother largely took care of Muskee.
At the age of ten Muskee became member of the soccer club Achilles 1894 and at fifteen he went for his first guitar lessons. At high school he came into contact with jazz and Dixieland music. Together with the brothers Henk and Jaap Hilbrandie he founded the band The Mixtures. From this band emerged later on the Old Fashioned Jazz Group. This band mostly played at school dances in Assen.
Through listening to the American Forces Network
American Forces Network
The American Forces Network is the brand name used by the United States Armed Forces American Forces Radio and Television Service for its entertainment and command internal information networks worldwide...
radio station – for U.S. soldiers stationed in nearby Germany – Muskee came into contact with blues music. When he discovered the album Live at Newport by John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
, he decided that he also wanted to make this kind of music.
In 1961, when Muskee was 20 years years old, his mother died, and a year later his grandmother died. Shortly afterwards, Muskee broke through with The Blizzards.
After the breakup of Cuby + Blizzards – in 1972 – he toured around with formations like Red White 'n Blue, the Harry Muskee Band, the Muskee Gang and Muskee. Ultimately, the original name Cuby + Blizzards proved to be the most catchy and under this name, assisted by the Groningen guitarist Erwin Java, Muskee toured for many years around the world.
In addition, he presented music programs on Radio Drenthe. For the same channel, he made a study tour through the southern states of the United States in search of the roots of the blues.
A statue of Harry Muskee was placed in Grolloo, in 1997.
Muskee died in Rolde on 26 September 2011 due to the effects of cancer.