The slack key and steel guitar tradition of Hawaii was adapted for the blues by Illinois-born, San Francisco-based guitarist Freddie Roulette. Known for his cool tone and intense, high-note squeals, Roulette provided some of the blues' most unique sounds. In addition to recording as a soloist, Roulette collaborated with bluesmen Earl Hooker and Charlie Musselwhite and guitar wizards Henry Kaiser and Steve Kinmock. His 1978 debut solo album, Sweet Funky Steel, was produced by former Canned Heat guitarist Harvey Mandel. Roulette's lust for the steel guitar was sparked when he saw a girl playing the instrument at St. Mary's elementary school in Evanston, Illinois. Taking lessons in the seventh and eighth grades, he soon mastered the instrument. Brought to San Francisco in the mid-'70s by Musselwhite, Roulette called the area home. Performing mostly with obscure groups, including Robert Leroy Jones and the Crossroads, Roulette supplemented his income by managing a low-income apartment building in West Berkeley. Freddie Roulette died on December 24, 2022 at the age of 83. ~ Craig Harris