Magic Slim & the Teardrops proudly uphold the tradition of
what a Chicago blues band should sound like. Their emphasis on ensemble
playing and a humongous repertoire that allegedly ranges upwards of a
few hundred songs give the towering guitarist's live performances an
endearing off-the-cuff quality: you never know what obscurity he'll pull
out of his oversized hat next. Born Morris Holt on August 7, 1937, the
Mississippi native was forced to give up playing the piano when he lost
his little finger in a cotton gin mishap. Boyhood pal Magic Sam bestowed
his magical moniker on the budding guitarist (and times change as
Slim's no longer slim). Holt first came to Chicago in 1955, but found
that breaking into the competitive local blues circuit was a tough
proposition. Although he managed to secure a steady gig for a while with
Robert Perkins' band (Mr. Pitiful & the Teardrops), Slim wasn't
good enough to progress into the upper ranks of Chicago bluesdom.
