Blues singer Selby Minner found dead at home as brother is arrested
Musician Selby Minner was found dead at her home at the age of 75.
Beloved Blues musician Selby Minner’s brother has been arrested after the singer was found dead at her home in Rentiesville, a town in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, United States. The Oklahoman reported that “McIntosh County law enforcement officers arrested Louis Carl Guenther, 68, whom The Oklahoman has confirmed is Minner's brother, on June 10 on an anticipated charge of first-degree murder.”
Police officers were called about their concerns regarding an unknown man who had been reportedly sitting for hours at an historic battle site. The Oklahoman then reported that “When responding officers made contact with the man, who was subsequently identified as Guenther, he was visibly covered in what appeared to be blood and in possession of a hammer. According to the affidavit, Guenther told officers he had killed Minner, his sister, and her body could be found at her nearby residence, which is also the location of the Down Home Blues Club and the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame.”
The OKPOP Museum in Oklahoma paid tribute to Selby Minner on Instagram and wrote: “We are heartbroken to learn of the tragic passing of Selby Minner, a blues legend and tireless champion of music in her community and across the state. Her passion, talent, and devotion to Oklahoma blues will never be forgotten.
“Selby was a longtime bassist and vocalist who toured extensively with her late husband, D.C. Minner, as part of Blues on the Move. She co-founded Rentiesville’s historic Down Home Blues Club and the Dusk ’til Dawn Blues Festival in 1991. Together, they received the International Blues Foundation’s Keeping the Blues Alive Award in Education for their Blues in the Schools program, bringing music, culture, and life lessons to children across Oklahoma. She also founded the D.C. Minner Museum and Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame in Rentiesville.
“She will be missed.”
Following the museum’s tribute, one person wrote: “When I worked for Budweiser in Muskogee, she would come into our office to buy beer for the Rentiesville blues festival. She always brought plenty of free admission tickets for us. A sincerely nice human being. ❤️”
Micaela Minner took to Instagram and wrote: “💔 CRY FOR HELP 💔
“My grandmother, Selby Minner, was murdered on June 9 in Rentiesville, Oklahoma—inside her home and steps from the blues club she poured her entire soul into for decades.
“Selby wasn’t just my grandma—she was a blues legend, a trailblazer, a civil rights advocate, a teacher, a mother, a grandmother, to the community, and a guardian of music history. She and her late husband, grandpa DC Minner, created the Down Home Blues Club and the Dusk Til Dawn Blues Festival to preserve Black blues culture, bring people together, and make sure stories were never forgotten.
“She opened her doors to everyone—young musicians trying to find their voice, travelers passing through, kids needing a safe place to dream. Her club wasn’t just a stage—it was a home. A sanctuary. A piece of living Black history.
“Now that she’s gone, violently taken from us, our family is doing everything they can to keep her legacy alive. But I can’t do it alone. We’ve launched a GoFundMe to raise funds to preserve the club, cover legal costs, and keep the Blues—and her story—alive.
If you can’t donate, please share this post. Tag a musician. Tag a journalist. Tag a historian. Share her name. Share her story.”
Micaela also shared a GoFundMe page for her grandmother.