VERY SAD to learn of the passing of blues musician/78 record collector/longtime friend Gary Fortine in Cincinnati this week …
He possessed a massive collection of pre-WW2 recordings (including several choice Irish/Irish-American rarities) and was a literal “walking encyclopedia” of knowledge concerning American Roots Music …
He played a great blues guitar and harmonica (once gigged with Big Walter Horton!) and was an outstanding human with an indomitable sense of humor …
Made a tune for him just now, “Gary Fortine” … a moderately slow Slow Air – works as a sort of pegleg strathspey, too.
* Gary Fortine – L.E. McCullough, piano
I’ve got rocks in my bed, and I just can’t lay down there no more, no more.
I’ve got rocks in my bed, and I just can’t lay down there no more, no more.
Old rockin’ chair’s got me, and the blues is knockin’ on my door.
— Lonnie Johnson
L.E. McCullough's Whistle Blog 
It is a sad day