Doug Sahm
Douglas Wayne Sahm was born November 6, 1941, in San
Antonio, Texas. Considered to be a prodigy on steel-guitar, mandolin,
and fiddle, he made his radio debut at age five singing "Teardrops In My
Heart" on station KMAC in San Antonio. This was followed by two years
of radio appearances on the Mutual network. He became a featured player
on the Louisiana Hayride country radio program by age eight. Known as Little Doug Sahm, he would often sit in at live performances of such greats as Webb Pierce, Hank Thompson and Faron Young. In December, 1952, Hank Williams took Doug on stage in Austin, Texas, less than two weeks before Williams's death.
About his pre-teen days, Doug wrote, "Across a plowed field from
my house was a place called Eastwood Country Club. On any given night
you had T-Bone Walker, Junior Parker, The Bobby 'Blue'
Bland Review, Hank Ballard and James Brown... At about twelve or thirteen years old, my neighbor, Homer Callahan, a red-headed Irishman who loved to fight and listen to Howlin' Wolf, would bring over these great 45's with colorful labels like Excello, Atlantic, and Specialty, and dudes like Lonesome Sundown, Jimmy Reed, and Fats Domino.
My mother, bless her soul, couldn't understand the profound effect
these records had on her white son who was growing up fast in the
predominantly black section of San Antone... Bear in mind, these weren't
ghettos with crime filled streets, but for a white boy to be accepted
at The Ebony Lounge was like being signed to the New York Yankees." - (more)
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