American blues harmonica player From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George Carter "Mojo" Buford Jr. (November 10, 1929 – October 11, 2011),[1] was an American blues harmonica player best known for his work in Muddy Waters's band.
George "Mojo" Buford | |
|---|---|
Buford in 1970 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | George Carter Buford Jr. |
| Born | November 10, 1929 Hernando, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | October 11, 2011 (aged 81) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | Early 1950s–2011 |
Buford relocated from Hernando, Mississippi, to Memphis, Tennessee, in his youth, where he studied the blues.[2] He relocated to Chicago in 1952,[3] forming the Savage Boys, which eventually was known as the Muddy Waters, Jr. Band. They substituted for Waters at local nightclubs while he was touring.[2]
Buford first played in Waters's backing band in 1959, replacing Little Walter, but in 1962 moved to Minneapolis to front his own band and to record albums.[2] In Minneapolis he gained the nickname Mojo, because of audiences requesting him to perform his cover version of "Got My Mojo Working."[4] Buford returned to Waters's combo in 1967 for a year, replacing James Cotton.[4] He had a longer tenure with Waters in the early 1970s and returned for the final time after Jerry Portnoy departed to form the Legendary Blues Band.[2]
He also recorded for the Mr. Blues label. These recordings were later reissued by Rooster Blues, Blue Loon Records, and the British JSP label.[2]
Buford died on October 11, 2011, at the age of 81, in Minneapolis, after a long hospitalization.[2][5]
With Otis Spann
With Muddy Waters
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