Sam Collins (musician) facts for kids

Sam Collins (born around 1887, died around 1949) was an early American blues musician. He was a talented singer and guitarist. People sometimes called him "Crying Sam Collins." His music style was unique, often described as "South Mississippi" blues. His most famous song was "The Jail House Blues."

About Sam Collins

Sam Collins was likely born in Louisiana. He grew up in McComb, Mississippi, which is right across the state line. By 1924, he was performing in local places called "barrelhouses." These were casual spots where people gathered to listen to music.

Sam often played with another musician named King Solomon Hill. Both of them sang in a high voice, called a falsetto. They also played the slide guitar, which makes a smooth, sliding sound.

His First Recordings

Sam Collins made his first recordings in 1927. One of his first songs was "Yellow Dog Blues." He recorded it for Gennett Records in Richmond, Indiana.

Back then, people sometimes called his special "bottleneck guitar" a "git-fiddle." A blues expert named Robert Palmer once said that Sam's guitar "seemed to literally weep." This means his guitar playing sounded very emotional and sad.

Later Music and Life

Sam Collins recorded more songs in 1931. Some of his later music was released under different names. These names included Jim Foster, Jelly Roll Hunter, Big Boy Woods, Bunny Carter, and Salty Dog Sam.

His country-style slide guitar songs were some of the first to be put together on LP records. An LP is a type of vinyl record that holds many songs.

In the late 1930s, Sam Collins moved to Chicago. He passed away there in October 1949. He was about 62 years old.

Sam Collins's Music

Sam Collins recorded many songs during his career. Here are some of the collections and individual songs he released.

Music Collections

These are albums that brought together many of Sam Collins's songs:

• 14 Rare Country Blues by Sam Collins & 2 Surprises by King Solomon Hill (1965)
• Jailhouse Blues (1990)
• King of the Blues Vol. 11 (1992)
• Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order 1927–1931 (1992)

Songs Recorded in 1927

These songs were recorded in Richmond, Indiana, in 1927:

• "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"

Songs Recorded in 1931

These songs were recorded in New York City in 1931:

• "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"