Magic Sam

Samuel Gene Maghett, known as Magic Sam, was one of the three originators of the West Side Chicago blues sound alongside Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. His recordings for Cobra Records in the late 1950s, particularly 'All Your Love' and 'Love Me with a Feeling,' introduced a bright, stinging guitar tone and soulful vocal style that defined the West Side approach. His 1967 Delmark album 'West Side Soul' is widely considered one of the most celebrated blues albums ever recorded. His electrifying performance at the 1969 Ann Arbor Blues Festival was a career peak, but he died of a heart attack just months later at age 32, a loss that many consider the single greatest tragedy of the modern blues era.