Historical Marker

Magic Sam

Marker provided by: Mississippi Blues Commission.

Magic Sam (Samuel Maghett) was one of the most dynamic and gifted blues musicians during his short lifetime (1937-1969). Born a few miles northeast of this site, Maghett began his performing career in Grenada and lived in this house until he moved to Chicago in the early 1950s. The youthful energy and spirit of Magic Sam, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and Freddie King modernized Chicago blues into an explosive, electrifying new style in the late 1950s andearly ’60s.

Magic Sam, unlike most of his blues contemporaries, was born and raised in a community where fiddle music, hoedowns and square dances held sway over the blues among the African American population. Roy Moses, a renowned black fiddler in Grenada County, was not only the leading caller of steps at such dances, but also a mentor and inspiration to younger local musicians. Samuel Maghett carried these musical influences with him to Chicago in 1950. Blues guitarist Syl Johnson, who later became a nationally known soul singer, recalled that Sam was playing “a hillbilly style” at the time, and Johnson began teaching him blues and boogies. Sam developed a house-rocking blues style unparalleled in its rhythmic drive; it may well have had roots in the dance tempos of the reels and breakdowns he learned in Grenada.

Magic Sam was better known, however, for the heartfelt vocals and stinging guitar work of his1957-58 blues recordings produced by Willie Dixon for the Cobra label in Chicago such as “All Your Love” and “Easy Baby,” some of which featured another Grenada native, Billy Stepney, on drums. Sam’s singing reflected another early influence, that of the church. During the ‘50s he often returned to visit and perform in Grenada, where he was credited with helping to popularize the blues. Sam and his combo won a local talent contest at the Union Theater which enabled them to compete on a show in Memphis promoted by WDIA radio. After performing under several stage names, he settled on “Magic” Sam–to rhyme with his surname.

In Chicago, Sam was at the vanguard of a new West Side blues movement. He remained a popular nightclub act during the 1960s and was poised to take his career to a new level, after recording two acclaimed albums for Delmark Records and turning in legendary festival performances in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and in Europe, but he died of a heart attack on December 1, 1969. His music has continuedto influence generations of blues, R&B, androck musicians.

Magic Sam’s birthplace now lies submerged beneath Grenada Lake. The Redgrass and Hendersonville communities where he spent his earliest years, along with the former town of Graysport, were flooded in the late 1940s to create the lake as a flood control reservoir. The Maghett family relocated here to the Knoxville community, where Sam resided until he was thirteen. Maggitt Street, just south of this site, represents one of many local variations of the family surname

The Mississippi Blues Trail markers tell stories through words and images of bluesmen and women and how the places where they lived and the times in which they existed–and continue to exist–influenced their music. The sites run the gamut from city streets to cotton fields, train depots to cemeteries, and clubs to churches. We have a lot to share, and it’s just down the Mississippi Blues Trail.

The Mississippi Blues Trail is an ongoing project of the Mississippi Blues Commission. Funding for this project has been made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, AT&T, and the Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University plus additional support from the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division.

For more information visit msbluestrail.org.

Blues Trail
The state bird of Mississippi is the Northern Mockingbird, and the state flower is the Magnolia.
Mississippi random facts
Grenada County, Mississippi has a rich and diverse history that spans several centuries. The area was originally inhabited by various Native American tribes, including the Choctaw and Chickasaw, who lived off the land and cultivated crops. European explorers arrived in the 16th century, with the area falling under Spanish control briefly before being ceded to the French.

In the early 1800s, Grenada County was established as one of the original counties of the Mississippi Territory. With the arrival of settlers from the eastern United States, the region saw significant agricultural development, particularly in cotton production. The county's economy relied heavily on the labor of enslaved African Americans, who were brought in to work on the plantations.

During the American Civil War, Grenada County experienced intense conflict and devastation. The county was positioned along the strategic Confederate supply line known as the Grenada Railway, which led to several skirmishes and raids from Union forces. In 1863, the city of Grenada was even burned by Union troops, resulting in the destruction of numerous homes and businesses.

In the post-war era, Grenada County worked to rebuild and transition into a more diversified economy. The arrival of railroads in the late 19th century facilitated the growth of the timber industry, along with other sectors such as manufacturing and trade. Today, Grenada County continues to develop and adapt, while preserving its historical heritage and cultural traditions.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Grenada County, Mississippi.

  • 1805: Grenada County is initially established as an administrative district of the Mississippi Territory.
  • 1836: The county is officially organized and named after the Spanish city of Granada.
  • 1850: The population of Grenada County reaches over 5,000.
  • 1861-1865: Grenada County, along with the rest of Mississippi, becomes part of the Confederacy during the American Civil War.
  • 1872: The city of Grenada, the county seat, is incorporated.
  • 1882: The Illinois Central Railroad is completed, bringing economic growth and development to Grenada County.
  • 1906: The Grenada County Courthouse, a neoclassical building, is constructed in Grenada.
  • 1960s: The Civil Rights Movement impacts Grenada County, including protests and voter registration drives.
  • 1966: Grenada Lake, a man-made reservoir, is completed, providing recreational opportunities for residents and visitors.
  • 1984: The county suffers severe damage from an F4 tornado, resulting in loss of life and destruction of property.
  • 2000s: Grenada County experiences industrial and business growth in sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture.