Washboard Sam
Washboard Sam (born July 15, 1910 in Walnut Ridge , Arkansas , † November 6, 1966 in Chicago , Illinois ), born Robert Brown , was an American blues and hokum musician. The most popular washboard player in Chicago in the late 1930s and 1940s, he was an expressive singer and outstanding songwriter, as evidenced by hundreds of recordings.
Brown, allegedly a half-brother of Big Bill Broonzy , moved to Memphis in the 1920s , where he busied with Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon . In 1932 he went to Chicago and performed there regularly with Broonzy. He accompanied Broonzy, Memphis Slim , Tampa Red and many others on numerous recordings for Lester Melrose of Bluebird Records .
From 1935 he made recordings under his own name for Bluebird and Vocalion Records , often accompanied by Broonzy. Soon he was one of the hottest stars on the Chicago blues scene. After the Second World War, the success subsided. Brown pulled out, but made a comeback in the 1960s that also took him to Europe.
Washboard Sam died of heart failure in 1966 after a long illness.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Washboard Sam |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Brown, Robert (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American blues musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 15, 1910 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Walnut Ridge , Arkansas |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 6, 1966 |
| Place of death | Chicago , Illinois |