Sunnyland Slim
On 05/09/1906: Sunnyland Slim was born in Quitman County, Mississippi. His full birth name was Albert Luandrew. He would first learn how to play the piano on a pump organ. In 1925 he moved to Memphis, Tennessee. There he would perform alongside many popular musicians as part of the blues scene. His stage name of Sunnyland Slim came from a song called "Sunnyland Train". The song was about a railroad between Memphis and St Lois, Missouri.In 1942 he moved to Chicago. In Chicago, Slim would play alongside musicians such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Robert Lockwood Jr, and Little Walter.
In 1946 he made his first recording as a singer with Jump Jackson's band for Specialty Records. The next year he would make his first recordings as a band leader for Hy-Tone Records and Aristocrat Records. Also in 1947, he would record one record for RCA Victor, the song "Illinois Central", using the name Dr Clayton's Buddy.
In the late sixties, Slim became friends with the band Canned Heat. He would play the piano on their track "Turpentine Moan" on the album "Boogie with Canned Heat". Lead guitarist Henry Vestine, slide guitarist Alan Wilson and bassist Larry Taylor would in turn play on Slim's "Slim's Got His Thing Goin' On" album, which also featured Mick Taylor.
In 1988 Sunnyland Slim was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship.
In March 1995 he died in Chicago after complication from renal failure.