Sam Collins (musician)

Sam Collins (August 11, 1887 – October 20, 1949),^[1] sometimes known as Crying Sam Collins and also (according to an authoritative source^[2]) as Jim Foster, Jelly Roll Hunter, Big Boy Woods, Bunny Carter, and Salty Dog Sam, was an early American blues singer and guitarist.^[1]

Biography

Collins was born in Louisiana^[1] and grew up in McComb, Mississippi, just across the state border. By 1924 he was performing in local barrelhouses, often with King Solomon Hill; both of them sang falsetto parts and played slide guitar. Collins's first recording was "Yellow Dog Blues", made for Gennett Records in 1927. He recorded again in 1931; some of his later recordings appeared under different pseudonyms. His rural bottleneck guitar pieces were among the first to be compiled on LP. His best-known recording is "The Jail House Blues".^[1]

Collins relocated to Chicago, Illinois, in the late 1930s, He died there from the effects of heart disease in October 1949, at the age of 62.^[1]

Discography

Compilations

• 14 Rare Country Blues by Sam Collins & 2 Surprises by King Solomon Hill (Origin Jazz Library, 1965)
• Jailhouse Blues (Yazoo, 1990)
• King of the Blues Vol. 11 (P-Vine, 1992)
• Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order 1927–1931 (Document, 1992)

Songs

1927, Richmond, Indiana

• "The Jailhouse Blues"
• "I Want to Be Like Jesus in My Heart"
• "Yellow Dog Blues"
• "Loving Lady Blues"
• "Riverside Blues"
• "Devil in the Lion's Den"
• "Dark Cloudy Blues"
• "Pork Chop Blues"
• "Lead Me All the Way"
• "Midnight Special Blues"
• "Do That Thing"
• "Hesitation Blues"
• "It Won't Be Long Now"
• "The Worried Man Blues"
• "The Moanin' Blues"

1931, New York

• "Lonesome Road Blues"
• "Slow Mama Slow"
• "My Road Is Rough and Rocky"
• "New Salty Dog"
• "Graveyard Digger's Blues"
• "Signifying Blues"
• "I'm Still Sitting on Top of the World"

References