Careless Love
Erwin Helfer has been an integral part of blues piano history for the past fifty years. As a teenager, he broke racial barriers, socializing and playing with Billie and DeDe Pierce, leaders of the first Dixieland jazz band at Preservation Hall in New Orleans.  He “rediscovered” Cripple Clarence Lofton (famous for recording “The Fives”), and brought his music to the attention of others. In 1956, he made the only recordings of house rent party pianist Doug Suggs and also recorded Speckled Red, Billie Pierce, and James Robinson (on the LP entitled Primitive Piano for his Tone Records and subsequently reissued by The Sirens Records SR-5005). In the 1970’s and 1980’s Erwin toured and played with Chicago blues musicians, such as drummer S.P. Leary (who recorded with blues pioneers on Chess Records), and the great vocalist Estelle “Mama” Yancey (wife of the “Father of Chicago Blues Piano” Jimmy “Papa” Yancey).  He has a number of recordings on The Sirens Records: SR5001 ! I'm Not Hungry But I Like To Eat - Blues!, SR5002 Heavy Timbre - Chicago Boogie Piano, SR5003 8 Hands on 88 Keys - Chicago Blues Piano Masters, and SR5006 St. James Infirmary.