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Bass player and band leader, Sam Cockrell has been playing music for most of his life. He said he first played at a club called the Burning Spear when he was 9 years old. 32 years later this dynamic bass player, gifted singer and accomplished songwriter, along with his band The Groove, has released his first solo CD, I'm In The Business. Born in 1959, Cockrell grew up listening to the music of his era and cites such diverse influences as Grand Funk Railroad, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Yes, and the Motown sounds of the Jackson 5. A professional songwriter since his high school days, Sam first began writing, performing and recording original music with the South Side band The Brothers of the Ghetto, which later became known as Majik. Sam recorded three R&B singles for noted Memphis producer Willie Mitchell in the 1970's which became regional hits. In the early ‘80’s, he went on to write and record a single with Kool & the Gang’s Kevin Bell. The tune, "Gotta Get Up" became a minor national hit on the Billboard charts. The Groove, features the solid drum backbeat of Rob Davis and the scorching lead guitar of Chris Forte. In addition to Sam’s funky basslines, his soulful soprano vocals, often compared to Robert Cray, have been known to steal the show. Sam Cockrell & The Groove were recent runners up at the 16th Annual Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge held this past January in Memphis where Chris Forte also won the coveted Albert King Award for best Blues Guitarist. Sam Cockrell & The Groove add diversity to the blues by combining R&B, funk and soul to create some of the freshest sounds in the blues today.
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