George "Mojo" Buford was an American blues harmonica player, best known for his work in Muddy Waters' band.(November 10, 1929 – October 11, 2011)
Biography
Buford relocated from Hernando, Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee in his youth, where he studied the blues.[1] He relocated to Chicago in 1952,[2] forming the Savage Boys that eventually became known as the Muddy Waters, Jr. Band. They substituted for Muddy Waters at local nightclubs whilst he was touring.[1]Buford first played in Muddy Waters' backing band in 1959, replacing Little Walter, but in 1962 moved to Minneapolis to front his own band, and record albums.[1] It was in Minneapolis that Buford gained his nickname "Mojo", because of the audiences requesting him to perform his cover version of "Got My Mojo Working."[3] Buford returned to Muddy Waters' combo in 1967 for a year when he replaced James Cotton.[3] He had a longer tenure with Muddy Waters in the early 1970s, and returned for the final time after Jerry Portnoy departed to form The Legendary Blues Band.[1]
He also recorded for the Mr. Blues label (later re-issued on Rooster Blues) and the British JSP label.[1]
Buford died on October 11, 2011, in Minneapolis, after a long hospitalization.[1][4] He was 81.
Partial discography
- Exciting Harmonica Sound of Mojo Buford (1963) - BluesRecordSoc
- Mojo Buford's Blues Summit (1979) - Rooster Blues
- Still Blowin' Strong (1996) - Blue Loon
- Harpslinger (1996) - Blue Loon
- State of the Blues Harp (1998) - JSP
- Home Is Where My Harps Is (1998) - Blue Loon
- Champagne & Reefer (live album) (1999) - Fedora Records
- Chicago Blues Summit (2002) - P-Vine Records[5]
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