Big Joe Duskin | Blues piano man, 86

Big Joe Duskin, 86, a boogie-woogie piano man known for playing the blues with an upbeat spirit, has died.

Mr. Duskin died Sunday at his Cincinnati home of complications from diabetes, family spokesman Keith Little said.

His style mixed elements of the blues, jazz, ragtime and stride piano. The Alabama native with the booming singing voice played local clubs as well as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and clubs in London, Berlin and Paris.

He returned to gospel roots on his final album, the 2005 release Big Joe Jumps Again! - AP