Photo by Dan Phillips

“The President of Soul,” Rockie Charles, passed away Friday morning after battling cancer. The blues guitarist—whose real name was Alfred Charles Merrick—was scheduled to play Jazz Fest this year and last year recorded a new album in Denmark, I Want First Class. His “Before I Find the Right Girl for Me” is included on Putumayo Records’ recent compilation, Rhythm & Blues. We’ll pass along funeral arrangements when we know them.

Check the Ponderosa Stomp bio of Rockie Charles here, and Home of the Groove’s notes on Charles’ “Riccasha” here.