"Magic Sam" Maghett (February 14, 1937–December 1, 1969) was one of the best , if not the foremost of the 'West Side' blues men on the scene in Chicago during the late 1950's and 1960's. Unlike the older players of the South Side, Sam and his contemporaries, Otis Rush, Freddie King and Buddy Guy had a more modern sound with jazz and R&B mixed in. Sam was a master at this and his early hit on Cobra, "Easy Baby" is an excellent example of this. Sam usually played in small combos often accompanied by his uncle James "Shakey Jake" Harris on harmonica. Two of the things that made Sam unique were his blending of lead and rythym and his use of tremolo, both probably having a lot to do with the fact that he rarely, worked with another guitarist or a piano player. There's not a lot of info out there, but like many bluesmen, Sam drank a lot and this probably had something to do with his early death. His Cobra sides are where it started, his Delmark album "West Side Soul" is probably his most accessable. His live recordings from the Alex Club and the Ann Arbor Blues Festival (repackaged on several different CDs) are technically very rough, but musically VERY powerful. Check out his boogie at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival! One can only imagine what he would have accomplished had he not died so young.