Nick Gravenites passes away aged 85

Nick Gravenites, a renowned Chicago blues musician who made a significant impact on San Francisco’s 1960s rock scene, passed away on September 18 at the age of 86 after months of poor health. His family confirmed the news on his Facebook page, though details of his death were not disclosed. A GoFundMe page had been created earlier in the year by friend Barry Melton to help cover Gravenites’ medical costs.

Born in Chicago in 1938, Gravenites became immersed in the city’s vibrant blues scene during the 1950s, forming friendships with future stars like Elvin Bishop and Michael Bloomfield. By 1965, he had settled in San Francisco, where he played a pivotal role in the city’s rock scene. He co-founded the Electric Flag with Bloomfield and performed at the iconic Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.

Gravenites’ close ties to Janis Joplin helped shape her career, as he contributed to her first solo album, I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama! He also penned “Work Me Lord,” a song that became a concert staple for Joplin. He later wrote “Buried Alive in the Blues” for Joplin’s final album Pearl, but she passed away before recording the vocals.

Gravenites’ songwriting extended beyond Joplin, as his track “Born in Chicago” became a blues standard recorded by multiple artists. Throughout his career, he worked with blues and rock luminaries like Taj Mahal, Huey Lewis, and John Cipollina. His contributions to blues and rock music were celebrated in the 2013 documentary Born in Chicago.

Music by Yevhen Onoychenko from Pixabay