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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Magic Sam| image =| caption =| image_size =| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Samuel Gene Maghett| alias =| birth_date = birth date|1937|2|14|mf=y| birth_place = Grenada, Mississippi , United States| death_date = death date and age|1969|12|1|1937|2|14| death_place = Chicago , Illinois , United States| origin =| instrument = Guitar, vocals| genre = Blues | occupation =| years_active = 1957& ndash;1969| label = Cobra Records|Cobra , Chief Records|Chief , Delmark Records|Delmark | associated_acts =| website =| notable_instruments = Samuel "Magic Sam" Gene Maghett (February 14, 1937 – December 1, 1969) was an United States|American Chicago blues musician. Maghett was born in Grenada, Mississippi , United States , and learned to play the blues from listening to records by Muddy Waters and Little Walter . After moving to Chicago at the age of nineteen, he was signed by Cobra Records and became well known as a bluesman after his first record, "All Your Love" in 1957. He was known for his distinctive tremolo -guitar playing. cite book| first=Charlie | last=Gillett | year= 1996 | title= The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll | edition= (2nd Ed.) | publisher= Da Capo Press | location=New York, N.Y. | pages= 177–179 | isbn= 0-306-80683-5
Life and career
After moving to Chicago in 1950, his guitar playing earned bookings at blues clubs in Chicago's West Side. Sam recorded for Cobra Records from 1957 to 1959, recording singles, including "All Your Love" and "Easy Baby". They did not appear on the record charts, yet they had a profound influence, far beyond Chicago's guitarists and singers. Together with recordings by Otis Rush and Buddy Guy (also Cobra artists), they made a manifesto for a new kind of blues. Around this time Sam also worked briefly with Homesick James Williamson . Sam gained a following before being drafted into the Army. Not a natural soldier, Sam deserted after a couple of weeks' service and was subsequently caught and sentenced to six months imprisonment. He was given a dishonourable discharge on release, but the experience had undermined his confidence and immediate recordings for Mel London 's Chief Records lacked the purpose of their predecessors. http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/Magic-Sam.html oldies.com biography - accessed January 2008
In 1963, he gained national attention for his single "Feelin' Good (We're Gonna Boogie)". After successful touring of the US, UK, and Germany, he was signed to Delmark Records in 1967, where he recorded West Side Soul and Black Magic (Magic Sam album)|Black Magic . He also continued performing live and toured with blues harp player Charlie Musselwhite and Sam Lay .
Sam's breakthrough performance was at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1969, http://www.cascadeblues.org/History/MagicSam.htm casacadeblues.org biography - accessed January 2008 which won him many bookings in the U.S. and Europe. His life and career was cut short when he suddenly died of a heart attack in December 1969. He was 32 years old. He was buried in the Burr Oak Cemetery and Restvale Cemetery|Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. In February 1970, the Butterfield Blues Band played at a benefit concert for Magic Sam, at Fillmore West in San Francisco. Also on the bill were Mike Bloomfield , Elvin Bishop , Charlie Musselwhite, and Nick Gravenites .cite book | first= John | last= Tobler | year= 1992 | title= NME Rock 'N' Roll Years | edition= 1st | publisher= Reed International Books Ltd | location= London | page= 209 | id= CN 5585
His guitar style, vocals, and songwriting ability have inspired and influenced many blues musicians ever since. In The Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers , John Belushi|Jake Blues dedicates the band's performance of " Sweet Home Chicago " to the "late, great Magic Sam".
The stage name, Magic Sam, was devised by Sam's bass player and childhood friend Mack Thompson, at Sam's first recording session for Cobra, from an approximation of "Maghett Sam". The name Sam was using at the time, Good Rocking Sam, was already being used by another artist.Rowe, M (1981): Chicago Blues: the City and the Music . New York, Da Capo Press. pp. 178-179
Citation
"Magic Sam had a different guitar sound," said his record producer, Willie Dixon . "Most of the guys were playing the straight 12-bar blues thing, but the harmonies that he carried with the chords was a different thing altogether. This tune "All Your Love", he expressed with such an inspirational feeling with his high voice. You could always tell him, even from his introduction to the music."cite book | first= Tony | last= Russell | year= 1997 | title= The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray | edition= | publisher= Carlton Books Limited | location= Dubai | pages= 143–144 | isbn= 1-85868-255-X
Awards and recognition
1982 - Blues Foundation Blues Music Award : Magic Sam Live (Vintage or Reissue Album of the Year (US)).
Cite web| last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = 1982 Blues Music Awards | work = | publisher = The Blues Foundation | date = | url = http://www.blues.org/#ref=bluesmusicawards_pastyears | format = | doi = | accessdate = September 26, 2010
1982 - Blues Foundation Blues Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame : Magic Sam inducted (Performer).
cite web| last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = 1982, 1984, 1990 Blues Hall of Fame Inductees | work = | publisher = Blues Foundation | date = | url = http://www.blues.org/halloffame/inductees.php#ref=halloffame_inductees | format = | doi = | accessdate = September 26, 2010
1984 - Blues Foundation Hall of Fame: West Side Soul (Classics of Blues Recordings - Albums category)
1990 - Blues Foundation Hall of Fame: Black Magic (Magic Sam album)|Black Magic (Classics of Blues Recordings - Albums category)
Partial album discography
Year
Title
Label
Comments
1967
West Side Soul
Delmark
recorded Chicago 1967
1968
Black Magic
Delmark
recorded Chicago 1968
1980
The Late Great Magic Sam
L+R
recorded 1963& ndash;1964, 1969
1981
Magic Sam Live
Delmark
live recordings Chicago 1963& ndash;1964 & Ann Arbor 1969
1981
Magic Touch
Black Magic
live recording Chicago 1966
1989
The Magic Sam Legacy
Delmark
out-/ alternate takes recorded Chicago 1967& ndash;1968
1991
Give Me Time
Delmark
solo demo/ rehearsal home recordings 1968
2001
With a Feeling & ndash; The Complete Cobra, Chief & Crash Recordings 1957& ndash;1966
Westside
most pre-Delmark recordings; also available as Out of Luck , P-Vine 2003
2002
''Rockin' Wild in Chicago
Delmark
live recordings Chicago 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968
See also
Chicago blues
List of blues musicians
List of Chicago blues musicians
List of people from Mississippi
List of people from Louisiana
List of stage names
Mississippi Blues Trail
References
Reflist
External links
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p100893|label=Magic Sam
http://www.cascadeblues.org/History/MagicSam.htm Cascade Blues page
Persondata | NAME = Maghett, Samuel Gene | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Magic Sam | SHORT DESCRIPTION = United States|American Chicago blues musician | DATE OF BIRTH = February 14, 1937 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Grenada, Mississippi , United States | DATE OF DEATH = December 1, 1969 | PLACE OF DEATH = Chicago , Illinois , United States DEFAULTSORT:Magic Sam Category:1937 births Category:1969 deaths Category:Chicago blues musicians Category:Electric blues musicians Category:American blues guitarists Category:American blues singers Category:Blues Hall of Fame inductees Category:Blues musicians from Mississippi Category:Delmark Records artists Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction
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Copyright Citations
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