Sam Lay was a legendary Chicago blues drummer who played with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.
- Died: Saturday, January 29, 2022. (Who else died on January 29?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 85.
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Blues Legend
Sam Lay started drumming for the Original Thunderbirds and then became the drummer for blues harmonica legend Little Walter. He was the regular drummer for Chicago Blues icon Muddy Waters band in the early 1960s. He performed and recorded with many blues legends including Willie Dixon, Bo Diddley, and John Lee Hooker and was an original member of the influential Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Bob Dylan used Lay as a drummer when he famously plugged in his electric guitar instead of playing acoustic at the 1966 Newport Folk Festival. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 as a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.
Tributes to Sam Lay
Full Obituary: Chicago Sun Times
