His manager said woke up with chest pains and died of cardiac arrest at the age of 97. Perkins was a fixture of Austin blues clubs, playing regular gigs up to last month. He played the piano with an aggressive style and sand with a distinctive gravelly voice.

Grammy-winner Pinetop Perkins, one of the last old-school bluesmen, has died at his home in Austin,Texas.

His manager said Perkins woke up with chest pains and died of cardiac arrest.

Perkins was a fixture of Austin blues clubs, playing regular gigs up to last month. He played the piano with an aggressive style and sand with a distinctive gravelly voice.