Blues On Stage - Magic Slim & the Teardrops Profile

Profile
Magic Slim & the Teardrops

Rough-edged and fiery guitar playing, with a pounding bass line and gruff, good-natured vocals, characterize Magic Slim’s in-your-face brand of Chicago blues. Born Morris Holt in Torrence, Mississippi on August 7, 1937, Slim took an early interest in music singing in the church choir. He worked in the cotton fields during the week while he honed his craft playing the blues at house parties on the weekends. At age 11 Slim moved to Grenada, Mississippi were he became fast friends with neighbor Magic Sam Maghett (who, years later in Chicago, gave him the name Magic Slim).

After playing bass in Magic Sam’s band in Chicago in 1955, Slim returned to Mississippi for 5 more years, perfecting his guitar playing before he again returned to Chicago to make a name for himself. His break came in the early ‘70’s when he took over the house band gig for Hound Dog Taylor at Florence's on Chicago's tough south side.

Although personnel in the band has changed over the years, Slim's brother, Nick Holt, is still playing the steady bass lines and providing occasional vocals. These two towering giants of raw Chicago blues continue to captivate and enthrall every audience they play for. Constant touring in Europe and the U.S. over the past 20 years and the release of nearly a dozen records has garnered Magic Slim one of the most loyal followings of any blues performer on stage today. Nominated as one of the best "Blues Bands of the Year" at the 1997 W.C. Handy Awards, Magic Slim & the Teardrops deliver a high energy, no frills, rough-and-ready Chicago blues sound that will cast a spell and leave you breathless and begging for more.

E-mail Ray Stiles at: mnblues@aol.com

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Copyright © 1998 by Ray M. Stiles
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