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Born on November 6, 1941, in San Antonio, TX,
Doug Sahm was a highly knowledgeable and superbly competent performer of Texan musical styles, whether they be blues, country, rock & roll, Western swing, Cajun, or polkas. A child prodigy, he appeared on radio at the age of five and became a featured player (steel guitar, fiddle, and mandolin) on the the Louisiana Hayride radio program, appearing with stars such as
Webb Pierce,
Hank Thompson, and
Hank Williams. He made his recording debut on the Sarg imprint in 1955 with A Real American Joe under the name of
Little Doug Sahm, and within three years was fronting
the Pharaohs, the first of several rough-hewn backing groups including the Dell-Kings and
the Mar-Kays.
Sahm recorded a succession of singles for local labels, including his
Little Richard pastiche "Crazy Daisy" (1959), "Just a Moment" b/w "Sapphire" (1961), and "Lucky Me" (1963). For several years,
Sahm had been pestering producer
Huey P. Meaux to record him.
Meaux, having success with
Barbara Lynn and
Dale & Grace, was not interested.
However, the producer found himself without a market when Beatlemania hit America, and shut himself away in a hotel with
the Beatles’ records, determined to discover what made them sell. He then called
Sahm, told him to grow his hair, form a band, and write a tune with a Cajun two-step beat. Accordingly,
Sahm assembled his friends
Augie Meyers (keyboards),
Frank Morin (saxophone),
Harvey Kagen (bass), and
Johnny Perez (drums).
Meaux gave them an English-sounding name,
the Sir Douglas Quintet, and subsequently scored an international hit in 1965 with the catchy "She’s About a Mover." The band also had success in the U.S. charts with "The Rains Came," but after being arrested for possession of drugs, they disbanded and
Sahm moved to San Francisco, CA, to avoid a heavy fine. He formed the Honkey Blues Band, but had difficulty in getting them on the road. He then gathered the rest of
the Sir Douglas Quintet in California for another classic single, "Mendocino," its spoken introduction being characteristic of the hippie era. The album, also called Mendocino, was a forerunner of country-rock.
The Sir Douglas Quintet toured Europe and made the successful Together After Five, while
Sahm made an excellent country single under the name of
Wayne Douglas, "Be Real." He moved to Prunedale in Northern California and befriended a Chicano band,
Louie & the Lovers, producing their
Rise.
Sahm, having resolved his problems with the authorities, went back to Texas and released
the Sir Douglas Quintet album The Return of Doug Saldaña, the name reflecting his affection for Chicanos. The album, co-produced with
Meaux, included an affectionate tribute to
Freddy Fender, "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights," which prompted
Meaux to resurrect
Fender’s career and turn him into a country superstar.
Sahm appeared with
Kris Kristofferson in the movie Cisco Pike, and told his record company that a song he performed, "Michoacan," was about a state in Mexico. Disc jockeys, however, realized that he was actually praising marijuana, and airplay was restricted. Atlantic Records’ key producer,
Jerry Wexler, decided that progressive country was becoming fashionable and signed both
Willie Nelson and
Doug Sahm. His high-spirited 1973 album,
Doug Sahm and Band, was made in New York with
Bob Dylan,
Dr. John, and accordionist
Flaco Jiménez, and the singer achieved minor success with "(Is Anybody Going To) San Antone?"
The Sir Douglas Quintet were resurrected intermittently, which resulted in two fine live albums, Wanted Very Much Alive and Back to the ’Dillo. Although it might seem strange that the band should tour with new wave outfit
the Pretenders,
Sahm’s voice and style were possibly an influence on
Elvis Costello.
Sahm himself stated, "I’m a part of
Willie Nelson’s world and at the same time I’m a part of
the Grateful Dead’s. I don’t ever stay in one bag."
One of his finest albums was Hell of a Spell, a blues collection dedicated to
Guitar Slim. During the mid-'80s
Sahm and
Meyers worked for the Swedish roots label Sonet Records, releasing several singles and an album that proved highly popular in Scandinavia.
Sahm then relocated to Canada, recording the Return of the Formerly Brothers album with guitarist
Amos Garrett and pianist
Gene Taylor. He returned to Texas in 1988, basing himself at the Antone’s blues club in Austin and toured with
Jiménez and
Angela Strehli as the Texas R&B Revue. In 1990,
Sahm formed
the Texas Tornados with
Meyers,
Jiménez, and
Fender. Their debut album, which included
Sahm’s witty "Who Were You Thinkin’ Of?" and
Butch Hancock’s "She Never Spoke Spanish to Me," showed that he had lost none of his powers, and subsequent
Tornados releases were equally popular.
Sahm also inaugurated the Last Real Texas Blues Band, an informal revue that played Tex-Mex and the blues.
Sahm’s lifestyle caught up with him in November 1999, when he was found dead from a heart attack in a New Mexico motel room. He left behind a rich musical legacy, however. Some might regard
the Sir Douglas Quintet as one-hit wonders, but in reality
Sahm recorded a remarkable catalog of Texas music. Day Dreaming at Midnight was a prime example. This 1994
Sir Douglas Quintet album, featuring his sons
Shawn and
Shandon and produced by ex-
Creedence Clearwater Revival drummer
Doug Clifford, was a rousing collection, notable for "Too Little Too Late" and the blistering
Bob Dylan pastiche "Dylan Come Lately." His death in 1999 was a blow. Many longstanding fans had witnessed a steady artistic growth over the decade, with a notable improvement in his voice.