Bob West (March 27, 1942 – July 31, 2016) was an American ethnomusicologist, radio host, musician, and record producer.

A year later, West made his first field trip to Memphis to record Furry Lewis and Bukka White.

His father, Frank, appreciated blues players, and favored such bands as Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Fletcher Henderson, and Earl Hines.

After graduating from high school in Seattle in 1960 West, learning to play the trumpet, and first heard The Great Excelsior Jazz Band, featuring Ray Skjelbred, Bob Jackson, Duffy, Joe Loughmuller, and others.

Others interviewed included Mississippi Fred McDowell (1969), Big Joe Williams (1970), Mance Lipscomb (1972), Pinetop Perkins (1982) and Barbara Dane (1983).

[7][8] Over the next sixteen years Bob recorded more field interviews with Robert Pete Williams, Johnny Shines, and others.

[11][12] Babe Stovall – The Old Ace: Mississippi Blues And Religious Songs made from field recordings in New Orleans in 1968 was released in 2003.

Various people who stayed at the houseboat included Bukka White, Pete Seeger, Son House, Sunnyland Slim, and many others.

[17][18] Every July 4, through to 2015 West held a special party for people who wanted to hear live blues and jazz and see the fireworks go off over Lake Union.

For that party, he would cook up a big pot of red beans and rice with other victuals, stock up beer, and then people started arriving in the afternoon, with many staying well after midnight.