Sam Lay facts for kids

Samuel Julian Lay (born March 20, 1935 – died January 29, 2022) was an amazing American drummer and singer. He played music from the late 1950s, especially blues and R&B music. Sam Lay performed with many famous musicians like Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, and Paul Butterfield. He was so good that he was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015!

Sam Lay's Musical Journey

Samuel Julian Lay was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on March 20, 1935. He started his music career in 1957. His first band was called the Original Thunderbirds. Soon after, he became the drummer for a great harmonica player named Little Walter.

Playing with Blues Legends

In 1960, Sam Lay became the regular drummer for Muddy Waters. Muddy Waters was a very famous blues musician. Sam stayed in Waters's band until 1966. During this time, he also played and recorded with many other important blues artists. These included Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, and Bo Diddley. The songs Lay recorded with Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf are considered some of their best work.

Joining the Paul Butterfield Blues Band

In 1966, Sam Lay joined the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. He recorded many songs and toured a lot with them. He even played drums for Bob Dylan in 1965. This was when Bob Dylan first used electric instruments at the Newport Folk Festival. Sam Lay also played on Dylan's famous song "Highway 61 Revisited."

His Work at Chess Records

Sam Lay's drumming can be heard on over 40 recordings for Chess Records. This was a very important record company for blues music. He traveled around the US and Europe playing at big blues festivals. He performed with the Chess Records All-Stars.

Awards and Recognition

Sam Lay received many honors for his music. In the late 1980s, he was added to the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis. He was also inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame in Los Angeles. And, as you know, he joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. He was nominated for the W. C. Handy Award for Best Instrumentalist many times.

He made two albums with his own band. He also recorded two albums with the Siegel-Schwall Band. His own album, Sam Lay in Bluesland, came out in 1969.

In 2000, he was nominated for a Grammy Award. This was for his performances on a CD called Howlin' Wolf Tribute. In 2002, he received a Legends and Heroes Award. This award was for his big contributions to music.

Sam Lay on Screen

Sam Lay was featured in a PBS TV show called History of the Blues. This show had seven parts and was made by the famous director Martin Scorsese. Sam Lay also filmed many home videos of other blues musicians. He recorded them playing in small clubs in Chicago in the 1950s and 1960s. Parts of his videos were used in History of the Blues. They also appeared in another TV show called Record Row.

In 2014, a filmmaker named John Anderson made a movie about Sam Lay's life. It was a documentary called Sam Lay in Bluesland.

His Final Years

Sam Lay was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame again in 2015. This time, it was as a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

Sam Lay passed away in Chicago on January 29, 2022. He was 86 years old.

Sam Lay's Music Albums

Here are some of the albums Sam Lay played on:

As the band leader

• Sam Lay in Bluesland (1969)

With Paul Butterfield

• The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (1965)

With Bob Dylan

• Highway 61 Revisited (1965)

With Howlin' Wolf

• Howlin' Wolf (1962)

With Muddy Waters

• Fathers and Sons (1969)