Died On This Date (November 5, 1967) Robert Lee McCollum / aka Robert Nighthawk or Robert Lee McCoy

Robert Lee McCollum
November 30, 1909 –  November 5, 1967

robert-nighthawkRobert Lee McCollum was a blues guitarist who for some reason changed his name at least twice during his music career.  During the mid ’30s, he went by Robert Lee McCoy and landed in St. Louis where he played and recorded with Sonny Boy Williamson and Big Joe Williams.  A nomadic person, McCollum soon changed his name to Robert Nighthawk and moved on.  He resurfaced as an electric slide guitarist and landed a deal with Chess Records during the ’40s.  Unfortunately, Muddy Waters was also on the label, so Nighthawk soon found he wasn’t as much of a priority.  During the folk revival of the early ’60s. Nighthawk was rediscovered while busking on the streets of Chicago.  He experienced upswing in his career, making a few more records and playing club dates before he died of a heart attack on November 5, 1967.

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Robert Nighthawk

Died On This Date (September 21, 2009) Sam Carr / Delta Blues Drummer

Sam Carr (Born Samuel McCollum)
April 17, 1926 – September 21, 2009

SamCarrSam Carr was exposed to the blues at a very young age.  His father was blues great, Robert Lee McCollum who performed under the names Robert Lee McCoy and Robert Nighthawk.   As a child, Carr would dance in front of the stage during his dad’s breaks.  By the time he was a teenager, he was filling in on bass once in awhile.  Carr also played the harmonica and guitar, but it was his drumming that got him noticed.  Over the years he’s played with Buddy Guy, T-Model Ford, Frank Frost and Big Jack Johnson.   Sam Carr passed away in a nursing facility at the age of 83.