Biography
Ellen McIlwaine was born Frances Ellen McIlwaine on October 1, 1945, in Nashville, Tennessee, and was adopted as an infant by Southern Presbyterian missionary parents who relocated her to Kobe, Japan at age two. She spent her formative years in Japan, attending the Canadian Academy in Kobe and graduating in 1963, where she developed an early passion for music by listening to American blues and soul artists like Ray Charles, Fats Domino, and Professor Longhair on Japanese radio. Upon returning to the United States, she pursued art school in Atlanta, Georgia, where she began her stage career in the mid-1960s, initially playing acoustic guitar before eventually becoming renowned for her distinctive slide guitar technique.
McIlwaine's breakthrough came in 1966 when she moved to New York City's Greenwich Village, where she performed nightly at the Cafe Au Go Go, opening for and playing alongside legendary blues and rock musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Big Joe Williams. She returned to Atlanta to form Fear Itself, a psychedelic blues rock band, before launching a solo career that produced two critically acclaimed albums for Polydor Records: "Honky Tonk Angel" (1972) and "We the People" (1973), the latter featuring the hit single "I Don't Want to Play." Her musical style defied easy categorization, blending blues, folk, soul, and rock influences, and she became particularly known for her acoustic and electric slide guitar interpretations of songs by artists such as Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix.
After relocating to Canada in 1987, where she became a permanent resident, McIlwaine continued to perform extensively on the blues and folk festival circuit while also working as a school bus driver in Calgary, Alberta. She founded her own record label, Ellen McIlwaine Music, in 2006 and released "Mystic Bridge," a fusion project featuring Indian tabla drummer Cassius Khan that showcased her willingness to explore cross-cultural musical collaboration. Throughout her career, she toured with notable artists including Patty Larkin and Sue Foley, appeared in the 2013 Jimi Hendrix documentary "Hear My Train A Comin," and received the Toronto Blues Society's "Blues with a Feeling" Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. She passed away on June 23, 2021, in Calgary, Alberta, at age 75, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering female slide guitarist who refused to conform to industry expectations.
Fun Facts
- Ellen McIlwaine was raised in Kobe, Japan from age two by her adoptive Southern Presbyterian missionary parents, giving her exposure to multiple languages and cultures before becoming a blues guitarist—an unusual background for a blues artist.
- She was the last performer to appear at Sydney's historic Regent Theatre in Australia prior to its closure and demolition during her 1984 tour, making her performance a significant piece of music history.
- Despite being a pioneering female slide guitarist and blues artist, her music was often classified in folk sections of record stores due to her acoustic guitar focus, even though her roots were deeply embedded in blues, soul, and rock.
- For several decades while living in Calgary, Alberta, McIlwaine supported herself primarily as a school bus driver while continuing to perform at folk and blues clubs, demonstrating her dedication to music despite limited commercial success.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Patrick Sky - Folk musician who encouraged McIlwaine to pursue music professionally and relocate to Greenwich Village (Encouraged her transition from art school to music career) [Early 1960s]
- Jimi Hendrix - Performed alongside Hendrix at Cafe Au Go Go in Greenwich Village; he became a major musical inspiration and she later wrote tributes to him (Multiple cover versions and original tribute 'The Secret of This Lady's Heart') [1966 onwards]
- Muddy Waters, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, Big Joe Williams - Blues legends she opened for and learned from during her Greenwich Village performances (Live performances and stylistic influence) [1966]
Key Collaborators
- Fear Itself - Psychedelic blues rock band she formed and led after returning to Atlanta (Fear Itself album (1968)) [1968-1970]
- Jack Bruce - Legendary Cream bassist who collaborated with McIlwaine on her album ("Everybody Needs It" (1982) - bass and vocals) [1982]
- Paul Wertico - Drummer who performed with McIlwaine in her electric power trio ("Everybody Needs It" (1982) - drums) [1982]
- Cassius Khan - Indian tabla drummer and classical musician with whom she created a fusion project ("Mystic Bridge" (2006) - tabla and vocals) [2006]
- Linsey Wellman - Soprano saxophonist who performed on multiple tracks of Mystic Bridge ("Mystic Bridge" (2006) - three tracks including 'Take Me to the River') [2006]
- Taj Mahal - Blues and world music artist who collaborated with McIlwaine ("Spontaneous Combustion" - featured on German Tradition und Moderne label) [Late 1990s]
- Patty Larkin - Guitarist and ensemble leader with whom McIlwaine toured extensively (La Guitara ensemble tours) [2008-2010]
- Sue Foley - Canadian guitarist who featured McIlwaine in her ensemble (Guitar Women ensemble tours in Canada) [2009-2010]
- Johnny Winter - Guitar hero with whom McIlwaine toured (Tour performances) [1990]
- Margret RoadKnight - Australian singer-guitarist and co-promoter who discovered McIlwaine and organized her Australian tours (Honky Tonk Angel Productions tours) [1980, 1984]
Artists Influenced
- Australian music audiences - Gained cult following in Australia through exposure on 2JJ (now Triple-J) radio station; influenced local musicians through her 1980 and 1984 tours (Live performances and radio broadcasts) [1980 onwards]
Connection Network
Discography
Top Tracks
- Count to Three (Count to Three)
- You Wouldn't Know (feat. Ellen McLain) (You Wouldn't Know (feat. Ellen McLain))
External Links
- Spotify
- [Wikipedia](Not found in search results)
References
Heard on WWOZ
Ellen McIlwain has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 28, 2025 | 23:31 | Can't Find My Way Home | The Rhythm Roomw/ Allan "Alski" Laskey |