Hip Linkchain
b. Willie Richard, 10 November 1936, near Jackson, Mississippi, USA, d. 13 February 1989, Chicago, Illinois, USA. As a baby, Linkchain was known as Long Linkchain. Hip heard the blues at home and learned to play acoustic guitar, switching to electric after settling in Chicago in the early '50s. He formed his first band in 1959 and recorded singles in the '60s for the Lola and Sann labels, under the name Hip Lanchan. In the '70s he had a single issued by Blues King, and on the JSP label, an album featuring further titles from this session plus earlier tracks. Albums also appeared on MCM, Rumble (with Jimmy Dawkins), Teardrop (including a collaboration with Jimmy Rogers) and a highly-acclaimed set for Black Magic. Hip died of cancer in 1989. Linkchain's guitar style was unique in the west-side Chicago tradition, and he was a talented songwriter and singer.