Now Playing On the Video Bar: Bluesman Magic Sam

Mississippi born and Chicago based, Samuel Magic Sam Gene Maghett (February 14, 1937 – December 1, 1969) was one of the leading lights of the second generation of Post-World War II Chicago blues artists. He was a contemporary of Buddy Guy, Otis Rush and Junior Wells. His 1967 Demark Album West Side Soul is considered one of the top blues albums of all time.

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 1957-59, recording singles, including All Your Love and Easy Baby. They did not appear on any 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.

His guitar style, vocals, and songwriting ability have inspired and influenced many blues musicians ever since. In The Blues Brothers, 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.

One of the all-time electric blues greats -- Magic Sam.