by Jeff Horton
Funderburgh)
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SONG CATALOG
Sam’s most famous song, “Sleeping in the Ground,” was recorded in December 1956 at Trumpet Studios in Jackson, Mississippi, on Johnny Vincent’s Ace label. Some of the artists who have covered this song:
Robert Cray, Who’s Been Talkin’ (Tomato 7041, 1980)
Eric Clapton w/Blind Faith, Crossroads (Polydor 835261, 1988) Omar and the Howlers, Blues Bag (Bullseye CD-BB-9519, 1992)
Steve Winwood, The Finer Things (Polygram 516860, 1995)
Duster Bennett, I Choose to Sing the Blues (Indigo 2091, 1998) Duster Bennett, Bright Lights, Big City (Castle 81292, 2003) Honeyboy Hickling, Straight from the Harp (Music Maker 943, 2000) Blind Faith, Blind Faith 2000 Deluxe Edition (Polydor 549529, 2001) Greg “Fingers” Taylor, Hi Fi Baby (Warehouse Creek 114, 2003) Songs written or co-written by Sam Myers:
After Hours When the Joint Is Closed – Myers
The Amateur (She’s Gone) – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Bombastic – Myers, A. Funderburgh, Ford Eaglin
Burning Fire – Myers
Change in My Pocket – Myers, Renée Funderburgh
Changing Neighborhoods – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Chill Out – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Coming from the Old School – Myers
Country Boy – Myers
Dew Is Falling – Myers
Don’t Quit the One You Love for Me – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Gold Tail Bird – Myers
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S O N G C ATA L O G
Hep Cats in Big Town – Myers
Highway Man – Myers, A. Funderburgh, R. Funderburgh, Pat Whitefield
I Done Quit Getting Sloppy Drunk – Myers
I Got a Thing for the Voodoo Woman – Myers
I Got the Blues – Myers
I’m Innocent – Myers, A. Funderburgh, Danny Cochran, Jim Milan
I’ve Been Dogged by Women – Myers, A. Funderburgh
I Want a Wife – Myers, A. Funderburgh, Hammond Scott
I’m Tired of Your Jive – Myers
Lemonade – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Let You Slowly Bring Me Down – Myers
Missing Person – Myers, A. Funderburgh, Cochran, Milan
Money Is My Downfall – Myers
My Heart Cries Out for You – Myers
My Love Is Here to Stay – Myers
Packing Up My Blues – Myers
Poor Little Angel Child – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Rack ’Em Up – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Sad, Sad Lonesome Day – Myers
Sam’s Christmas Blues – Myers
Shedding Tears of Laughter – Myers
Since We’ve Been Together – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Sleeping in the Ground – Myers
Suggestion Blues – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Tell Me What I Want to Hear – Myers, A. Funderburgh, Matt McCabe, Milan, Scott, Harvey Shield
Things Have Changed – Myers
Tomorrow Will Find Me the Same Way – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Trying to Make You Mine – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Turning My Life Around – Myers, A. Funderburgh
20 Miles – Myers, A. Funderburgh
Waiting on You, Mamma – Myers
What’s Wrong, What’s Wrong – Myers
Willie Jo – Myers, A. Funderburgh, R. Funderburgh
You Don’t Know What Love Is All About – Myers
Young Girls Drive Me Wild – Myers, A. Funderburgh
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SAM MYERS, ELMORE JAMES,
AND BOBBY ROBINSON SESSIONS
ELMORE JAMES SESSIONS:
Chief/Vee-Jay Records, Chicago 1957. Elmore James (guitar), Wayne Bennett (second guitar), J. T. Brown (tenor sax), Jimmy Lee Brown (bass), Johnny Jones (piano), Earl Hooker (second guitar), Sam Myers (drums).
1. The Twelve-Year-Old Boy
2. Coming Home
3. It Hurts Me Too
4. Knocking on Your Door
5. Elmore’s Contribution to Jazz
Fire Records, Chicago (Chess Studios), 1959. Elmore James (guitar), J. T. Brown (tenor sax), Homesick James (bass), Johnny Jones (piano), Sam Myers (drums), Eddie Shaw (alto sax).
1. Bobby’s Rock
2. The Sky Is Crying
3. Held My Baby Last Night
4. Make My Dreams Come True
Chess Records, Chicago, 1960. Elmore James (guitar), J. T. Brown (tenor sax), Homesick James (bass), Johnny Jones (piano), Sam Myers (drums).
1. The Sun Is Shining
2. Stormy Monday
3. Madison Blues
4. Can’t Hold Out
5. Whose Muddy Shoes
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M Y E R S , J A M E S , A N D R O B I N S O N S E S S I O N S
Fire Records, New York, 1960. Elmore James (guitar), Johnny Acey (piano), J. T. Brown (tenor sax), Sam Myers (drums), Riff Ruffin (second guitar), unknown (second saxophone).
1. Rollin’ and Tumblin’
2. I’m Worried
3. Done Somebody Wrong
4. Fine Little Mama
5. Can’t Stop Loving You
6. Early One Morning
7. Strange Angels
8. She Done Moved
9. Something Inside of Me
10. Harlem Angels
Fire/Fury Records, J&M Studios, New Orleans, 1961. Elmore James (guitar), Sammy Lee Bully (bass), Sam Myers (drums, harmonica), Mose Taylor (drums), Moose Walker (piano).
1. Look on Yonder Wall (Myers, harmonica, Mose, drums)
2. Shake Your Moneymaker (Myers, vocals)
3. Sunnyland (Myers, drums)
4. Poor Little Angel Child (Myers, vocals)
5. Little Girl (Myers, vocals)
6. Go Back Home Again (Myers, harmonica)
Fire Records, Beltone Studios, New York, 1960. Elmore James (guitar), Johnny Acey (piano), J. T. Brown (tenor sax), Sam Myers (drums), Riff Ruffin (second guitar), Paul Williams (bass), unknown (second saxophone).
1. Baby Please Set a Date
2. I Need You
Fire Records, Beltone Studios, New York, 1961. Elmore James (guitar), Johnny Acey (piano), J. T. Brown (tenor sax), Danny Moore (trumpet), Sam Myers (drums), Riff Ruffin (second guitar), Paul Williams (bass).
1. Anna Lee
2. Standing at the Crossroads
Enjoy Records, A-1 Studios, New York, 1963. Elmore James (guitar), Moose Walker (piano), Sam Myers (drums), Paul Williams (bass).
1. Dust My Broom
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M Y E R S , J A M E S , A N D R O B I N S O N S E S S I O N S
BOBBY ROBINSON SESSIONS:
Fury Records, J&M Studios, New Orleans, 1960. Dave Campbell (piano), Sam Myers (vocals and harmonica), Mose Taylor (drums).
1. Sad, Sad Lonesome Day
2. You Don’t Have to Go
3. Sad and Lonesome
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APPEARANCES, AWARDS, AND HONORS
MOTION PICTURES
China Moon (1994). In this thriller starring Ed Harris and Madeline Stowe, Sam and Anson with the Rockets make a cameo appearance as a bar blues band and perform
“Tell Me What I Want to Hear.”
AWARDS AND HONORS
W. C. Handy Awards, with Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets:
2004 – Traditional Album of the Year, Which Way Is Texas? (Rounder/Bullseye) 2000 – Song of the Year, “Change in My Pocket”
1994 – Band of the Year
1992 – Band of the Year
1989 – Sam Myers, Vocalist of the Year
1988 – Band of the Year
Song of the Year, “Changing Neighborhoods”
Album of the Year, Sins (Black Top)
Sam Myers, Instrumentalist of the Year, Other (Harmonica)
January 6, 2000 – Inducted into the Farish Street Walk of Fame at the Alamo Theater, Jackson, Mississippi. Shared honors with Dorothy Moore and the late Sonny
Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller).
February 17, 2006 – Received Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and named Blues Ambassador by the Mississippi Arts Commission, presented by Haley Barbour, Governor of Mississippi.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Calway, Brian. “Interview with Sam Myers.” Blues and Rhythm 137 (March 1999): 26–27.
Erlewine, Michael, Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Cub Koda, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine, eds. All Music Guide to the Blues. 3rd. ed. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 2003.
Franz, Steve. The Amazing Secret History of Elmore James. Marceline, Mo.: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2002.
Harrison, Alferdteen. Piney Woods School: An Oral History. Jackson, Miss.: University Press of Mississippi, 1982.
Howse, Pat, and Jimmy Phillips. “Godfather of the Delta Blues—H. C. Speir. An Interview with Gayle Dean Wardlow.” The Peavy Monitor (1995): 34–44.
Jones, Laurence Clifton. The Spirit of Piney Woods. Old Tappan, N. J.: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1931.
Leadbitter, Mike, and Neil Slaven. Blues Records 1943 to 1970: A Selective Discography, Vol. 1 (A to K). London, UK: Record Information Services, 1987.
Leadbitter, Mike, Leslie Fancourt, and Paul Pelletier. Blues Records 1943 to 1970, Vol. 2 (L
to Z). London, UK: Record Information Services, 1994.
Leiter, Robert David. The Musicians and Petrillo. New York: Octagon Books, 1974.
Murray, Charles Shaar. Boogie Man: The Adventures of John Lee Hooker in the American Twentieth Century. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000.
O’Neal, Jim, and Amy O’Neal. “Sam Myers in Jackson.” Living Blues 3 (Autumn 1970): 19, 21.
O’Neal, Jim, and Peter Lee. “Sam Myers: Blowing It Off the Top.” Living Blues 85 (March/
April 198): 10–21.
Romulo, Beth Day. The Little Professor of Piney Woods: The Story of Professor Laurence Jones. New York: J. Messner, 1955.
Rowe, Mike. Chicago Blues: The City and the Music. New York: Da Capo Press, 1975.
Ryan, Marc. Trumpet Records: An Illustrated History with Discography. Winter Haven, Fla.: Big Nickel Publications, 1992.
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B I B L I O G R A P H Y
———. Diamonds on Farish Street. Jackson, Miss.: University Press of Mississippi, 2004.
Wilson, Christine, ed. All Shook Up: Mississippi Roots of American Popular Music.
Jackson, Miss.: Mississippi Department of Archives and History, 1995.
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INDEX
Ace 536, 79
Battle of the Harmonicas, 139
Ace Records, 54, 75, 79
Beale Street, 126
Alabama, 42
Beavis and Butthead, 131
Allen, George, 70
Bebop style, 108–9
Alligator Records, 89
Bees Knees, 137
American Conservatory of Music,
Below, Fred, 128
29, 35, 37
Bennett, Wayne, 34, 37, 53–54
American Federation of Musicians,
Benno, Marc, 137
108, 110
Berklee College of Music, 29
Anne Banks Street, 66
Berry, Walter, 67, 70, 80
Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets, 121;
“Big Boat Whistle,” 65
featuring Sam Myers, 137–39, 141
Big Three Trio, 28, 96
Antone, Clifford, 134–35
Bihari, Joe, 53–54
Antone’s, 134
Bihari, Jules, 53–54
Arkansas, 89, 118, 138
Billboard magazine, 87
Arnold, Billy Boy (William Arnold), 105
Birmingham, Alabama, 76
Asazawa, Gary, 70
Black Top Records, 72, 121, 123, 138
Assaf, Woodie, 27
Bland, Bobby “Blue” (Robert Bland), 37,
Atlanta, Georgia, 64
53, 70, 86, 97, 125
Atlantic Records, 53
Blue Light Blues Band, The, 69
Austin, Texas, 62, 134, 137
“Blue Moon of Kentucky,” 20
Blue Norther, 137
“Baby Please Don’t Go,” 121
Blues, the: elements of, 85–86; styles of,
Back Beat Records, 62
87–89; types of, 83–85
“Bad Acting Woman,” 100
“Boogie Chillen,” 121
Barranco, Johnny, 70
Booth, Eddie, 4, 7
Basie, Count (William Basie), 91
Boston, Massachusetts, 88
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I N D E X
Boyd, Tom, 100
Club 77, 55
Boze, Calvin, 28
College Park Auditorium, 77
Bracey, Ishmon, 74
Colt’s Booking Agency, 52
Braille, 4, 76, 99
Columbus, Mississippi, 70
Bramhall, Doyle, Sr., 137
Coming from the Old School, 99
Broadway, 110
Commercial recordings, banning of, 108
Brooks, Lonnie, 92
Cooke, Sam, 37–38
Broonzy, Big Bill, 89
“Cool, Cool Blues,” 94
Brown, Clarence “Gatemouth,” 122
Cotton, James, 94
Brown, J. T., 54
Cotton, picking of, 14–18
Brown, Jonas, 25–27
Cray, Robert, 120
Brown, Mel, 70, 81
“Crosscut Saw,” 118
Brown, Willie, 74
Crowley, Walter, 80
Bulley, Sammy Lee, 68
Crudup, Arthur “Big Boy,” 89
Burks, Michael, 89
Curtis, James, 94
California, 42, 44, 70, 88
Dallas, Texas, 4, 19, 45, 62, 99, 101, 122,
Calway, Brian (Hash Brown), 101, 104–7
137, 139
Camden, Texas, 62
David Hickey Agency, 139
Camel cigarettes, 7–8, 132
Deance, Bob, 70
Campbell, Dave, 68, 81
Decca Records, 65–66
Campbell, Little Milton, 79, 91–92, 96
Delmark Records, 54
Canada, 81, 100
Delta blues, 87–88
“Can’t Hold Out,” 53, 115
Delta Road, 137
Cellar Club, 137
Detroit, Michigan, 51, 130
Chess Records, 43, 51, 53–54, 96–97, 114,
“Devil’s Stomp,” 121
117, 129
Dixon, Leon, 67, 70
Chicago, Illinois, 5, 16, 29, 31, 33–54, 58, 63,
Dixon, Willie, 43, 67, 96–97, 117
65–66, 68, 76, 81, 89, 92, 94–95, 105, 108, Dorsey, Lee, 115
113–14, 126, 130
Down Home in Mississippi, 100
Chicago blues, 87
Downbeats, The, 69
Chicago family, 41–44
Duke Recording Co., 62
Chicago Soul Stirrers, The, 38
Duke Records, 62, 122
“Chicken Shack,” 39
“Dust My Broom,” 38, 51–52, 55
Chittlin’ Circuit, 38, 51, 62, 76
Chords, 90
Eastman-Gardiner Co., 3
Cincinnati, Ohio, 133
Ebony Network, The, 76
Civil War, 3–4, 65
Edison, Thomas, 112
Clapton, Eric, 120
Edwards, Sid, 19–21; death of, 21
Clarksdale, Mississippi, 37, 96, 121
Electro-Fi Records, 99
Cleveland, Ohio, 132
Elks Club, 70
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I N D E X
Embry, John, 68
Greenville, Mississippi, 70, 125
Embry, Sylvia, 68
Grisham, Doris, 41
Enjoy Records, 51
Grisham, Sandra Faye (daughter), 41
Evers, C
harles, 33
Guitar Gable, 92
Evers, Medgar, 33
Guitar Junior, 92
“Eyesight to the Blind,” 94
Guy, Buddy (George Guy), 34, 91
Fairlee, Charles, 70
Hammond, John, Jr., 89
Farish, Walter, 74
Hardwell & Cook’s, 27
Farish Street, 27, 57, 74, 77, 79
Harmonica: styles of, 105, 141;
Farish Street Historical District, 74
technique, 102–7
Farish Street Walk of Fame, 78
Harpo, Slim (James Moore), 87
Fayetteville, Arkansas, 89
Harris, Wynonie, 35, 97
Federal Bureau of Investigation, 115–17
Hash Brown. See Calway, Brian
Fender Bassman amplifier, 106, 139
Hastings Street, 121
Field singing, 17
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 70
Fire and Fury sessions, 52, 67–68, 70
Helena, Arkansas, 93–95
Fire Records, 51–54
Henry’s Swing Club, 121
Fleming, Willie Mae, 42, 44–46
Hill, Big Bill, 52
Florida, 64
Hill, Norman, 70
Forest City, Arkansas, 126
Hinds County, Mississippi, 57
Foster’s Nightclub, 69
Hite, Les, 88
“From the Bottom,” 82
Hohner harmonicas, 107
Funderburgh, Anson, 71–73, 78, 95, 124,
Hooker, John Lee, 121–22
129, 131, 134–36, 137–44
Hopkins, Lightnin’ (Sam Hopkins), 88,
Funderburgh, Renée, 135
137, 142
Fury Records, 52, 54, 116
Horton, Big Walter, 105, 141
Horton, Craig, 70
Game of the Day, The, 5
Horton, Robin, xi
Gant, Ella Pearl, 29
House, Son (Eddie House), 74
Garland, Pete, 70
Houston, Texas, 62, 90, 111
Garlow, Clarence, 92
Howlin’ Wolf (Chester Burnett), 34–35,
Gary, Indiana, 33, 43
96, 127–28
George Street Grocery, 71, 73, 138
Huddleston, Duke, 45–46
“Get Out of My Life, Woman,” 115
Hurricane Katrina, 3
Gleason’s Bar, 132
“Going Home,” 90
“I get so lonely in the middle of the night
Gold Dust powder, 8
. . . ,” 125
Golden Key Ballroom, 62
“I would rather see you / Sleeping in the
Granada Theater, 137
ground . . . ,” 79, 120
Grand Emporium, The, 135
“If a young boy hangs around . . . ,” 55
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I N D E X
“I’m not gonna work another
Kansas City, Missouri, 135