We’re sorry to report the death of Terence McQuiston, the bluesman and WWOZ FM DJ who was better known by his stage name Ready Teddy. Word of his death was confirmed on Facebook by Margie Perez, the local singer who was a friend of Teddy’s and recently involved in benefit efforts for him.

RIP New Orleans Bluesman & WWOZ vet, Ready Teddy McQuiston

Frontman of the Swamp Daddys, McQuiston also worked behind the scenes as a band manager/promoter and did a popular blues show for years on ‘OZ. His best-known record was a single, “The Quick Pick”/”Lonely Biz Blues,” that came out in the late ‘80s. Both sides showed off both his powerful delivery and his ability to turn a memorably witty phrase. On the A-side, he’s got the blues because his girl left him after winning the Louisiana Lottery. And the flipside had a chorus that deserved to be classic: “Love is a lonely business…and I’m having a going out of business sale!” Copies of the record now change hands for $50 and up.  Teddy took his stage name from a Little Richard song with the latter’s blessing; the two were friends and often appeared together in town.

Sadly, Teddy broke his neck while working at home on Memorial Day 2011, his spinal cord was severed and he remained paralyzed from the neck down. Benefit efforts included a single, “Chairman of the Blues” by Gypsy Elise & the Royal Blues (with Perez, Little Freddie King and other friends).  There was also a  benefit show that year at Big Al’s Deckbar with the above plus J. Monque’D, Lynn Drury, Guitar Lightnin’ Lee, Oscar & the Blues Cats and others. We salute Teddy with a clip from that show: