Snooks Eaglin (born Fird Eaglin, Jr., January 21, 1936 – February 18, 2009) was a guitarist and singer in New Orleans. He has also been referred to as Blind Snooks Eaglin.
His vocal style is reminiscent of Ray Charles; indeed, in the 50s, when he was in his late teens, he would sometimes bill himself as "Little" Ray Charles. He is generally regarded as a New Orleans R&B artist playing a wide range of music from blues, rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, country to Latin music. In his early years, he also played some straight-ahead acoustic blues.
Death of Snooks Eaglin
Snooks Eaglin died of heart attack. He had been hospitalized for prostate cancer treatment and returned home not long prior to his death.
His ability to play a wide range of songs and his ability to perfectly understand and make the tunes his own earned him the nickname the "human jukebox." Eaglin claimed in interviews that his musical repertoire included some 1,000 songs.
At live shows, he did not usually prepare set lists, and was unpredictable, even to his bandmates. He played songs that come to his head, and he also took requests from the audience.
Snooks Eaglin with George Porter Jr.- Ripstick Traces