Tiny Legs Tim

Tiny Legs Tim (1978 – 25th May 2022), artist name of Tim De Graeve, was a Belgian blues musician en composer. Hij was the inspirer of the Flemish roots scene in the 2010s, and he had his own record lable Sing My Title.

Biography

Tim, born in Westouter, discovered the love for the blues music in the disc collection of his father, and particularly the accoustic album of Blind Lemon Jefferson. On a young age, he started to write music tracks himself, and on the age of 17, he started his own blues band. Later on, he performed mostly solo, and the majority of his albums are also recorded solo. Besides guitar and vocals, Tim also played the mouth harp.

Tim moved to Ghent to study biology at university, and he lived there for the rest of his life. He worked shortly as a teacher. On the age of 29, he decided to switch to a music carreer. In Ghent, in the borough Klein Turkije, he was the voice of a entirely new blues generation. A friend of his, Marie Follebout, founded, under his encouragement, a blues-concert club Missy Sippy, in which Tim was one of the principal musicians. He performed numerous times in the club, curated the blues jams, and was the co-founder of an own record store, Sing My Title. To get inspired by the blues, Tim traveled a few times to Louisiana in the United States, principally to New Orleans. He was also inspired by African music, such as Maliblues and Touaregblues, by means of their rythm, with a lot of percussion.

Tim performed with his so-called One Man Blues Band in clubs and on festivals throughout Europe. He played as the support act of Peter Doherty, John Mayall, The North Mississippi Allstars, Graham Parker, Bombino and Ian Siegal. He had a very strong live reputation.

Private life

Tim spent most of his life suffering from severe liver disease and had two liver transplants. His stage name, Tiny Legs, was a reference to his small and skinny appearance as a result of that illness. On the third transplant, he died of complications during surgery at the age of 44.

Discography

They say small birds don't fly too high - EP - 2010

One Man Blues - CD/LP - 2011

Constant Constable - EP - 2011

Cortisone Blues - single - 2021

TLT - CD/LP - 2013

Diggin' deeper - EP - 2013

Stepping up - CD/LP - 2015

Sad sad single - 2016

Live at Sint-Jacobs - 2016

Melodium Rag - LP/CD - 2017

Elsewhere Bound - LP/CD - 2019

Call us when it's over - LP/CD - 2020

External links

Sources, notes and/or references

Bluesman Tiny Legs Tim overleden. focus.knack.be (25 mei 2022). (Dutch)

Tiny Legs Tim - Ik heb veel over mijn einde nagedacht | daMusic. damusic.be (22 februari 2017). (Dutch)

In de studio bij bluesmuzikant Tiny Legs Tim: 'New Orleans gaf mij het laatste duwtje'. focus.knack.be (4 september 2018). (Dutch)

Tiny Legs Tim. vi.be. Geraadpleegd op 26 mei 2022. (Dutch)

Bluesmuzikant Tiny Legs Tim (44) overleden, grote verslagenheid bij artiesten.. hln.be (25 mei 2022). (Dutch)