"The two founders of Canned Heat, Alan ""Blind Owl"" Wilson and Bob ""The Bear"" Hite, seemed more likely to become blues junkies more than blues stars, but fate stepped in and turned them into a group that is still known for their interpretation and talent. Wilson was from Boston and a music major at Boston University. While he knew how to play the harp and slide guitar as well as sing, Wilson was on the fast track to becoming a blues historian, not a performer. He did, however, perform at local coffee houses while in college. Hite started loving blues while he was still in elementary school in California. He was an avid collector of all things blues and eventually worked in an old record store.The two met and bonded over a mutual love for blues music. They soon decided to try to form a band with a few other blues lovers. Gigs started coming their way, and fans were eating up their updated renditions of old blues tunes. The lineup of the band fluctuated almost constantly, but the attitude of the band remained the same. One of the fan favorites that the band performed was ""On the Road Again.""The band released their self-titled debut album in 1967, and the musicians found themselves on the Billboard charts as well as touring around the country. One of the biggest highlights of the band's career was playing at the Woodstock concert in 1969. The band continued to release albums that did fairly well and had developed a loyal following of fans. All the while, however, band members would come and go. Tragically, Wilson committed suicide in 1970 at the age of 27. The band persevered on, but felt the loss deeply. Hite passed away from a heart attack in 1981. With so many members a part of Canned Heat, the group was able to keep producing albums and touring, and still continues to perform today."
