The good and great Sam Carr died at 83 this past Monday. I’d suppose most outside of Mississippi, or blues fans, don’t know of him, but, he was known as one of the best blues drummers of his time. He was the son of legendary bluesman Robert Nighthawk, learned from him, and played through the century with Sonny Boy Williamson, and then with his own band, The Jelly Roll Kings, stalwart Delta backbone music…
I’ve been watching while clicking on Google tonight, and see the notice of his death spread; there are posts from the West Coast to Taiwan, so , yeah, Sam, yer being noticed.
I’ve tried about five times to type something doing him justice here, so I’m just going to have to go ahead on: He was one of the most decent, impeccable men I have ever known. He spent his life aside from being a great musician as a farm tractor driver to make a living, but would always show up for a gig way well-pressed than most musicians. He always shone .
I had the good priviledge to drive Sam and The Jelly Roll Kings across the country on a tour, not a money making tour, so fraught with all the usual band stuff. Sam was the Rock, who, in his 70’s then, had the drummer biceps of a man half his age, and loaded out all the equipment sans bitching. He just did it.
He really always Did It for the whole Clarksdale, and Mississippi music scene. His passing marks the end of an era for bluesmen linked to the elder musicians.
Here’s a link to some of Sam’s music with The Jelly Roll Kings.
Peace, Sam, thanks for teaching L’il Bit what she oughtta know.