The Seattle blues community was stunned Thursday to learn of the untimely passing of guitarist Hans Ipsen. As he was trying to push his stalled van off to the side of the road he lost control and the vehicle ran him over. He was killed instantly. He was 62 years old.

Ipsen is probably best known for his work with my father, Little Bill Engelhart. For 10 years, his steady and reliable fret work was an intricate part of my dad’s sound. Not an overbearing or flashy guitarist, his grooves were understated but effective. After leaving Little Bill, Ipsen and some friends formed Fat Cat, but he also played with such notable artists as Albert Collins, Doug Kershaw, Merrilee Rush, Rich Dangel, Gregg Rolie, (Santana, Journey) and Jimi Holden. In his illustrious career he also had the honor of opening for numerous national recording artists such as Tower of Power, Ballinjack, Paul Butterfield, Cab Calloway, Pink Floyd, John Mayall, Bonnie Raitt, Charles Brown, Roomful of Blues and The Count Basie Orchestra. In 1996, Ipsen was awarded with “best guitarist” by the Washington Blues Society.

On a personal note, I saw Hans one last time just before Christmas at a benefit for his medical expenses due to blockage in his liver. I hadn’t seen uncle Hans in nearly 10 years. A gentle giant, Hans was a gracious man with a mild mannered and a quirky sense of humor. As we stood outside the Highway 99 Blues Club smoking a cigarette, Hans said in his Denmark accent, “Tony’s here, my night is complete.” As we were leaving, Hans gave me a bear hug and told me I had made his night if not his decade. I know I’m not alone when I say Hans Ipsen will be missed dearly. â€" Tony Engelhart