Earl “Lightning” Perkins, born in Cleveland, Ohio in the year 1899, enjoyed a prolific career as a jazz and blues pianist.  After stints in New York City and Chicago, Lightning returned to his home town in 1972 and opened Perk Noir in 1979.  He died peacefully, at the keys of his beloved Schimmel, on July 19^th, 1986.  Lighting entertained music enthusiasts around the globe for decades, recording six albums for Chess Records.  These are a few of his more famous tracks:

Mad Mustard

Cement Pillow

Interstate Blues

Back Alley

Reedin & Ridin

Sweet Blue Chariot

Blue Peace

Tango in Jazz

Mongrel Blizzard

Blue Daddy

Righteous Blue

Move Over, Dog

Sweet Potato Blues

Blue Sky, Black Sky

Piano Over the Nile

Bright Sky

In the 1950s and 60s, Chess Records released six of Lightning’s albums:

The Chess Albums

1953   Sad Blue Sunday

1957   Cool Blue Jazz

1959   Blue Lightning

1964   Dallas Blues

1965   Blue is Cooler than Black

1968   Blue Peace

Cool Blue Jazz was Lightning’s best selling album.

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