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"Blues speaks to me directly," she said. "It wasn't a choice. I was drawn to it naturally, sort of like a sheepdog with sheep."
Alligator president Bruce Iglauer, a friend and producer, described Rabson as a "delightful, smart and funny person" and a dedicated champion of the blues. "We were blessed to have known her," he said in a statement.
Rabson had continued to perform over the last few years, appearing on recordings
Rabson is survived by her husband, George Newman, her daughter and a granddaughter.