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{{Short description|American radio host and music journalist}}
{{Short description|American radio host and music journalist}}
'''Amelia''' ("'''Amy'''") '''van Singel''' (October 11, 1949 – September 19, 2016) was an American [[blues]] journalist and radio host. She co-founded ''[[Living Blues]]'' magazine with her then husband, [[Jim O'Neal]], and was posthumously inducted to the [[Blues Hall of Fame]] in 2017.
'''Amelia''' ("'''Amy'''") '''van Singel''' (October 11, 1949 – September 19, 2016) was an American [[blues]] journalist and radio host. She co-founded ''[[Living Blues]]'' magazine with her then-husband, [[Jim O'Neal]], and was posthumously inducted to the [[Blues Hall of Fame]] in 2017.


==Life and career==
==Life and career==


Amy van Singel was born in [[Chicago]], the daughter of a bank executive, and grew up in the suburb of [[Hinsdale, Illinois]]. After hearing records by [[British R&B]] bands such as [[the Rolling Stones]] in her teens, she developed a love of blues music and occasionally worked at [[Bob Koester]]'s Jazz Record Mart.<ref name=living/> She attended [[Hinsdale Central High School|Hinsdale Township High School]], and enrolled at [[Endicott College]] in [[Beverly, Massachusetts]] in 1967, transferring to [[Northwestern University]] in 1968.<ref name=tribune/>
Amy van Singel was born in [[Chicago]], the daughter of a bank executive, and grew up in the suburb of [[Hinsdale, Illinois]]. After hearing records by [[British R&B]] bands such as [[the Rolling Stones]] in her teens, she developed a love of blues music and occasionally worked at [[Bob Koester]]'s Jazz Record Mart.<ref name=living/> She attended [[Hinsdale Central High School|Hinsdale Township High School]], and enrolled at [[Endicott College]] in [[Beverly, Massachusetts]] in 1967, transferring to [[Northwestern University]] in 1968.<ref name=tribune/>


There, she met fellow blues fan Jim O'Neal, and began broadcasting on [[WNUR]], where she became known as "Atomic Mama". She and O'Neal married in 1970. They started interviewing local [[Chicago blues]] musicians, and, with others, founded ''Living Blues'' the same year.<ref name=tribune>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-amy-van-singel-obituary-20161019-story.html Graydon Megan, "Amy van Singel, blues aficionado, radio host, dies at 66", ''Chicago Tribune'', October 19, 2016]</ref> O'Neal said: "We embarked on a mission to bring recognition to the blues originators and the living African American blues tradition, first with some interviews we sent to ''[[Blues Unlimited]]''.... I didn’t have to hide my record-buying habit from my wife. We shared in that pursuit and just about everything else, loving the blues and our life together. We decided not to have children, but poured our energy into birthing and parenting ''Living Blues''."<ref name=living>[http://digital.livingblues.com/article/Amy+van+Singel/2654464/361394/article.html "Amy van Singel", ''Living Blues'']</ref>
There, she met fellow blues fan Jim O'Neal, and began broadcasting on [[WNUR]], where she became known as "Atomic Mama". She and O'Neal married in 1970. They started interviewing local [[Chicago blues]] musicians, and, with others, founded ''Living Blues'' the same year.<ref name=tribune>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-amy-van-singel-obituary-20161019-story.html Graydon Megan, "Amy van Singel, blues aficionado, radio host, dies at 66", ''Chicago Tribune'', October 19, 2016]</ref> O'Neal said: "We embarked on a mission to bring recognition to the blues originators and the living African American blues tradition, first with some interviews we sent to ''[[Blues Unlimited]]''.... I didn’t have to hide my record-buying habit from my wife. We shared in that pursuit and just about everything else, loving the blues and our life together. We decided not to have children, but poured our energy into birthing and parenting ''Living Blues''."<ref name=living>[http://digital.livingblues.com/article/Amy+van+Singel/2654464/361394/article.html "Amy van Singel", ''Living Blues'']</ref>


She and O'Neal published the magazine from their home in Chicago until 1983, when production moved to [[Oxford, Mississippi]]. She also had a radio show on [[WCFS-FM|WXFM]] in the early 1970s. The couple remained in Chicago until 1986; they divorced the following year. Van Singel moved to Oxford, and then to [[Memphis, Tennessee]], where she also had a radio show. Later, she moved to [[Anchorage, Alaska]], where she again had her own radio show, for ten years.<ref name=tribune/>
She and O'Neal published the magazine from their home in Chicago until 1983, when production moved to [[Oxford, Mississippi]]. She also had a radio show on [[WCFS-FM|WXFM]] in the early 1970s. The couple remained in Chicago until 1986; they divorced the following year. Van Singel moved to Oxford, and then to [[Memphis, Tennessee]], where she also had a radio show. Later, she moved to [[Anchorage, Alaska]], where she again had her own radio show, for ten years.<ref name=tribune/>


She remarried and moved to [[Ellsworth, Maine]], in 2010. She died in her home there in 2016, aged 66.<ref name=tribune/> She was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.<ref name=hof>[https://blues.org/blues_hof_inductee/amy-van-singel/ Amy van Singel, ''Blues Hall of Fame'']</ref>
She remarried and moved to [[Ellsworth, Maine]], in 2010. She died in her home there in 2016, aged 66.<ref name=tribune/> She was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.<ref name=hof>[https://blues.org/blues_hof_inductee/amy-van-singel/ Amy van Singel, ''Blues Hall of Fame'']</ref>


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 14:54, 25 June 2024

Amelia ("Amy") van Singel (October 11, 1949 – September 19, 2016) was an American blues journalist and radio host. She co-founded Living Blues magazine with her then-husband, Jim O'Neal, and was posthumously inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.

Life and career

[edit]

Amy van Singel was born in Chicago, the daughter of a bank executive, and grew up in the suburb of Hinsdale, Illinois. After hearing records by British R&B bands such as the Rolling Stones in her teens, she developed a love of blues music and occasionally worked at Bob Koester's Jazz Record Mart.[1] She attended Hinsdale Township High School, and enrolled at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts in 1967, transferring to Northwestern University in 1968.[2]

There, she met fellow blues fan Jim O'Neal, and began broadcasting on WNUR, where she became known as "Atomic Mama". She and O'Neal married in 1970. They started interviewing local Chicago blues musicians, and, with others, founded Living Blues the same year.[2] O'Neal said: "We embarked on a mission to bring recognition to the blues originators and the living African American blues tradition, first with some interviews we sent to Blues Unlimited.... I didn’t have to hide my record-buying habit from my wife. We shared in that pursuit and just about everything else, loving the blues and our life together. We decided not to have children, but poured our energy into birthing and parenting Living Blues."[1]

She and O'Neal published the magazine from their home in Chicago until 1983, when production moved to Oxford, Mississippi. She also had a radio show on WXFM in the early 1970s. The couple remained in Chicago until 1986; they divorced the following year. Van Singel moved to Oxford, and then to Memphis, Tennessee, where she also had a radio show. Later, she moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where she again had her own radio show, for ten years.[2]

She remarried and moved to Ellsworth, Maine, in 2010. She died in her home there in 2016, aged 66.[2] She was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.[3]

References

[edit]