Magic Sam
Samuel Gene Maghett (February 14, 1937 – December 1, 1969),[1] known as Magic Sam, was an American Chicago blues musician. He was born in Grenada County, Mississippi, and learned to play the blues from listening to records by Muddy Waters and Little Walter.[2] After moving to Chicago at the age of 19, he was signed by Cobra Records and became well known as a bluesman after the release of his first record, "All Your Love", in 1957. He was known for his distinctive tremolo guitar playing.[3]
Magic Sam | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Samuel Gene Maghett |
| Born | February 14, 1937 Grenada County, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | December 1, 1969 (aged 32) Chicago |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1957–1969 |
| Labels | |
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, as an approximation of "Maghett Sam". The name Sam was using at the time, Good Rocking Sam, was already being used by another artist.[4]
Life and career
Maghett moved to Chicago in 1956, where his guitar playing earned him bookings at blues clubs on the West Side.[2] He recorded singles for Cobra Records from 1957 to 1959, including "All Your Love" and "Easy Baby". They did not reach the record charts but had a profound influence, far beyond Chicago's guitarists and singers. Together with recordings by Otis Rush and Buddy Guy (also Cobra artists), the Westside Sound was a manifesto for a new kind of blues.[5] Around this time Magic Sam worked briefly with Homesick James Williamson.[5] Magic Sam gained a following before being drafted into the U.S. Army. He served six months in prison for desertion and received a dishonorable discharge.[6]
In 1963, his single "Feelin' Good (We're Gonna Boogie)" gained national attention. He successfully toured the U.S., Britain and Germany. He was signed to Delmark Records in 1967, for which he recorded West Side Soul and Black Magic.[6] He continued performing live and toured with the blues harp player Charlie Musselwhite and Sam Lay. Magic Sam's breakthrough performance was at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1969,[7] which won him many bookings in the U.S. and Europe.
His career was cut short when he suddenly died of a heart attack in December 1969.[2] He was 32 years old. Magic Sam was buried in the 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.[8]
His guitar style, vocals, and songwriting have inspired and influenced many blues musicians. "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."[5]
Awards and recognition
- 1982, Blues Foundation Blues Music Award for Magic Sam Live in the category Vintage or Reissue Album of the Year (US)[9]
- 1982, Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, induction as Performer[10]
- 1984, Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, West Side Soul selected in the category Classics of Blues Recordings – Albums[10]
- 1990, Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, Black Magic selected in the category Classics of Blues Recordings – Albums[10]
Partial singles discography
| Title | Label | Artist | Year | Composer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "All Your Love" | Cobra 5013A | Magic Sam | 1957 | Sam Maghett |
| "Love Me with a Feeling" | Cobra 5013B | Magic Sam | 1957 | Hudson Whittaker (Tampa Red) |
| "Magic Rocker" | Cobra | Magic Sam | Unreleased, recorded 1957 | Sam Maghett |
| "Love Me This Way" | Cobra | Magic Sam | Unreleased, recorded 1957 | Sam Maghett |
| "Everything Gonna Be Alright" | Cobra 5021A | Magic Sam | 1958 | Willie Dixon |
| "Look Whatcha Done" | Cobra 5021B | Magic Sam | 1958 | Sam Maghett |
| "All Night Long" | Cobra 5025A | Magic Sam | 1958 | Willie Dixon |
| "All My Whole Life" | Cobra 5025B | Magic Sam | 1958 | Willie Dixon |
| "Call Me if You Need Me" | Artistic 1502A | Shakey Jake Harris (featuring Magic Sam) | 1958 | Jake Harris |
| "Roll Your Money Maker" | Artistic 1502B | Shakey Jake Harris (featuring Magic Sam) | 1958 | Jake Harris |
| "Easy Baby" | Cobra 5029A | Magic Sam | 1958 | Willie Dixon |
| "21 Days in Jail" | Cobra 5029B | Magic Sam | 1958 | Willie Dixon and L.P. Weaver |
| "Mr. Charlie" | Chief C7013A | Magic Sam and the Ammons Sisters | 1960 | Sam Maghett |
| "My Love Is Your Love" | Chief C7013B | Magic Sam and the Ammons Sisters | 1960 | Sam Maghett |
| "Square Dance Rock Part 1" | Chief 7017 | Magic Sam | 1960 | Sam Maghett and Boyd Atkins |
| "Every Night About This Time" | Chief C7026A | Magic Sam | 1961 | Antoine Domino Jr. and Dave Bartholomew |
| "Blue Light Boogie" | Chief C7033A | Magic Sam | 1961 | Jessie Mae Robinson |
| "You Don't Have to Work" | Chief C7033B | Magic Sam | 1961 | Sam Maghett |
| "Out of Bad Luck" | The Blues 302A | Magic Sam | 1966 | Sam Maghett and Al Benson |
| "She Belongs to Me" | The Blues 302B | Magic Sam | 1966 | Sam Maghett and Al Benson |
| "Respect Me Baby" | The Blues 303A | Shakey Jake Harris (featuring Magic Sam) | 1966 | Jake Harris |
| "A Hard Road" | The Blues 303B | Shakey Jake Harris (featuring Magic Sam) | 1966 | Jake Harris |
Discography
| Year | Title | Label | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | West Side Soul | Delmark | Recorded in Chicago, 1967 |
| 1968 | Black Magic | Delmark | Recorded in Chicago, 1968 |
| 1969 | Raw Blues Live 1969 | Rock Beat Records | Recorded in Berkeley, 1969 |
| 1980 | The Late Great Magic Sam | L+R | Recorded 1963–64, 1969 |
| 1981 | Magic Sam Live | Delmark | Recorded live in Chicago, 1963–64, and Ann Arbor, 1969 |
| 1981 | Magic Touch | Black Magic | Recorded live in Chicago, 1966 |
| 1989 | The Magic Sam Legacy | Delmark | Outtakes and alternate takes recorded in Chicago, 1966–68 |
| 1991 | Give Me Time | Delmark | Solo demo and rehearsal home recordings, 1968 |
| 2001 | With a Feeling!: The Complete Cobra, Chief & Crash Recordings 1957-1966 | Westside | Most pre-Delmark recordings; also available as Out of Luck, P-Vine, 2003 |
| 2002 | Rockin' Wild in Chicago | Delmark | Recorded live in Chicago, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968 |
| 2013 | Live at the Avant Garde | Delmark | Recorded live at the Avant Garde coffeehouse, Milwaukee, June 22, 1968 |
References
- Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 231. ISBN 978-0313344237.
- Palmer, Robert. Deep Blues. Penguin Books. pp. 267, 269.
- Gillett, Charlie (1996). The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll (2nd ed.). New York City: Da Capo Press. pp. 177–179. ISBN 0-306-80683-5.
- Rowe, M. (1981). Chicago Blues: The City and the Music. New York City: Da Capo Press. pp. 178–179. ISBN 978-0306801457.
- Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. pp. 143–144. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- Larkin, Colin (2011). "Magic Sam". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0857125958.
- Johnson, Greg (September 2000). "Magic Sam". cascadeblues.org. Archived from the original on February 3, 2007. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
- Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'n' Roll Years. London: Reed International Books. p. 209. CN 5585.
- "1982 Blues Music Awards". Blues Foundation. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
- "1982, 1984, 1990 Blues Hall of Fame Inductees". Blues Foundation. Archived from the original on May 18, 2010. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
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