Title: The Essential Magic Sam: Cobra & Chief Recordings Artist: Magic Sam Label: Friday Rights MGMT Product Type: VINYL LP UPC: 829421061106 Genre: Blues Release Date: 2026-07-10 Number of Discs: 1 Additional Details: LIMITED EDITION, COLORED VINYL, BLUE
Limited blue vinyl LP pressing. Magic Sam a/k/a Sam Maghett was a revolutionary guitarist and one of Chicago's legendary West Side natural blues players. A Mississippi native, the self taught musician would move to Chicago in 1950, playing small clubs and making a name for himself in short order. His uncle acclaimed bluesman Shakey Jake a/k/a James Harris, would get Sam set up in the burgeoning nightclub circuit, eventually playing between sets with major blues greats like Muddy Waters. As his local reputation as a solid blues guitarist would take hold, he signed a deal with Cobra Records as he kicked things off with the stellar double sided blues hit single "All Your Love" and "Love Me With A Feeling" in 1957. More blues belters followed like "All Night Long." As he was beginning to achieve sales and national attention, he was drafted into the army. Upon his return, he moved over to Mel London's Chief Records label, where he followed up with great blues rockers like "Square Dance Part One" "My Love Is Your Love" "Do The Camel Walk" and a stunning cover of Fats Domino's "Every Night About This Time." He would go on to release more solid recordings for Chief and Crash Records, as well as a super rare single "Respect Me Baby" with Shakey Jake into the mid-sixties. Towards the end of the decade, Sam was truly gaining much acclaim by playing bigger venues and blues festivals, but as fate would have it, Magic Sam suffered a heart attack and his brilliance was silenced in 1969. Today, Magic Sam is revered internationally and considered one of the founders of the West Side Guitar blues sound. His music is second to none, as witnessed with this incredible collection of his finest sides from the Cobra, Chief, Crash and Paula Records era.
