Died On This Date (February 25, 2009) Mark Sallings / Blues Harpist

Mark Sallings was a gifted Delta blues harmonica player who was one of the most sought-after Memphis side men throughout his career.  Sallings learned to play the harmonica while in his early years of high school, and soon after he graduated, he went to work as a session player at Stax studios.  During the ’80s, he worked with country singer, David Lynn Jones with whom he toured and recorded.  In the ’90s, Sallings formed his own band, the Famous Unkowns and recorded a couple of his own albums.  On February 25, 2009, 56-year-old Mark Sallings died as a result of a car accident.