Eagle Park Slim (revisited)

December 1997: “I’m the brokest famous man in town,” says veteran musician Eagle Park Slim, talking his blues. “I’ve had trials and tribulations.” As a kid, Slim learned Chicago and Delta blues from artists who played his parents’ roadhouse in Eagle Park, Ill. “Harmonica Sam could blow out a brand-new harmonica on the first song,” says Slim, who started blowing Sam’s castoffs at age 9, learned guitar from Johnny Wright at 11 and fronted his own band at 13. In the 1960s and ’70s he had bands in East St. Louis and Denver. “Six months at Pepper’s Lounge,” he recalls. “Every night there was a fight.” Broke when he hit Eugene in 1980, Slim became a fixture as a street musician, next to Brownie’s on the downtown mall. Since his second open-heart surgery in 1993, Slim works mostly indoors. His steady gig is Wednesdays at the Black Forest Inn. “He loves the music,” says bartender Sasha, “loves to tell stories.”

2013 update: Slim still plays outdoors in the summer, especially at the Oregon Country Fair, where he has appeared every year since 1981. He sets his chair in the shade close to the Bangkok Grill. “They feed me and I bring a lot of business,” he says. Slim has also played at events in Denver, Seattle and Portland this year. Catch him at Off the Waffle, 840 Willamette, during the First Friday Art Walk on Aug. 2.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!