A Kindred Spirit Now Sings The Blues In Heaven - Lisa Kindred

By Kathleen McCallum

Marin Blues Musician Lisa Kindred passed away on Nov. 11 after complications from a fall and Poems Syndrome. The sad news was announced from her friend, guitarist Craig Caffall. “ I called her as “The Blues Belting Mamma”. Lisa possessed amazing energy and grace and was known for her constant generosity. She will be very missed.”

Born in Buffalo, New York in 1940, Lisa grew up listening to DJs playing Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, and Robert Johnson. Lisa stepped into the spotlight in Cambridge, MA with Lisa Kindred Ballad and Blues Band. She was a figure in the Greenwich Village folk scenes of the 1960s, playing with Bob Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, and other legendary folk singers. At the end of the ‘60s, she moved to Southern, CA for a few years before finding her way to Marin County. Lisa fronted theHaight Ashbury band Ascension that opened twice for legendary Etta James at the Great America Music Hall. Long-time San Francisco music critic Joel Selvin called Lisa a “bona fide blues queen who sings like one of the greats”.

A frequent guest performer at the Saloon, Sweetwater, No Name Bar, Rancho Nicasio, and many other venues, Lisa’s commanding voice earned her the respect of countless musicians and fans.

Her student Michael Mugridge said, “As talented and amazing singer as Lisa Kindred was, she was a more amazing human being. Always giving of herself and her time as a foster mother to a young girl, grade school teacher, caregiver, and nanny to those in need, she volunteered at a thrift store benefiting a women’s shelter. The list goes on. She was a wonderful friend and mentor. She will be a hard act to follow. ”Musician Pete Sears said, “Lisa Kindred was one of the most amazing, talented and soulful folk and blues singers I have ever worked with. She was a kind and wonderful person and loved by many people, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene. Lisa recorded many albums, but her favorite was her most recent release “Blues & Beyond.” She’s riding the slow train now...rest in peace Lisa.”