Guitarist

Born: 1950, Liverpool, England Died: June 15, 2006, Liverpool, England

Sam Mitchell emerged from the vibrant music scene of 1950s Liverpool. The son of a professional Hawaiian and jazz guitarist, who was part of Felix Mendelssohn's Hawaiian Serenaders, Sam was exposed to music from a young age. Despite his father's reluctance to teach him the guitar—encouraging him instead to pursue a "proper job"—Mitchell cultivated his skills by spending time at the pub owned by his mother, where he taught himself to play.

His musical journey commenced in 1966, performing in folk clubs across Liverpool and Brighton before ultimately relocating to London. It was here that he caught the attention of notable artists such as Long John Baldry and Rod Stewart, leading to his first studio recording on the 1969 compilation album Firepoint, which featured folk-blues tracks. His slide guitar work was prominently showcased on Rod Stewart's Gasoline Alley in 1970 and again on Every Picture Tells a Story in 1971, where his slide guitar introduced "Amazing Grace."

Throughout the early 1970s, Mitchell played with various blues bands, most notably Uncle Dog alongside vocalist Carol Grimes. Circa 1976, he formed the Sam Mitchell Blues Band, which included Steve York and various drummers, including Jeff Rich, who would later join Status Quo. This band recorded his debut solo albums, Bottleneck/Slide Guitar and Follow Me Down, while also serving as a session band for Charlie Musselwhite on Harmonica According to C.H.

In the 1980s, Mitchell joined Dana Gillespie's blues band. He relocated to Denmark in the mid-1980s, where he formed a blues band with Bjørn Uglebjerg (formerly of Gasolin') on drums and Jens Elbøl on bass. They produced a self-titled album in May 1987. Later that year, Mitchell joined the Danish rock band The Sandmen in Stockholm to record their debut LP. The band signed with A&M Records in the United States, and in 1989, the American edition of their debut album, Western Blood, was released. The band toured the U.S., performing at iconic venues such as CBGB and Whisky a Go Go, and their single "House In The Country" received some airplay on MTV. However, their deal with A&M was terminated during the recording of their second album, prompting the band to focus on their growing domestic audience. After five albums, The Sandmen disbanded in February 1995, reuniting briefly in 1997 for a few concerts and to record "The Edge of Reality" for an Elvis tribute album.

In 1999, Mitchell returned to Liverpool due to a diagnosis of tuberculosis, but after a few years, his health improved. He then moved to the Netherlands, where he remained active in the blues scene. Unfortunately, he faced health challenges again, ultimately returning to Liverpool, where a heart attack claimed his life in 2006 at the age of 56.

Sam Mitchell was renowned for his slide guitar technique on his National Steel guitar, a hallmark of his musical identity. He is credited with teaching Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits how to play the steel guitar, which later appeared on the cover of Dire Straits' Brothers in Arms. His guitar, affectionately known as "The Tin Machine," accompanied him throughout his life, even being stolen at one point before he successfully tracked it down in a pawn shop. Sam Mitchell is interred in Assistens Cemetery in Copenhagen.

Discography:

- 1969: Various Artists - Firepoint (contributed one song: "Leaf Without a Tree") - 1976: Sam Mitchell - Bottleneck/Slide Guitar (Kicking Mule KM129) - 1976: Various Artists - I Got Rhythm (contributed three songs) - 1978: Sam Mitchell - Follow Me Down (Kicking Mule KM306) - 1979: Various Artists - Blues Guitar Workshop (contributed two songs) - 1987: Sam Mitchell, Bjørn Uglebjerg, Jens Elbøl - ST (Olufsen DOC 5055) - 1996: Homesick MAC & Sam Mitchell - Two Long From Home (Mafioso CD MRCD 1004) - 2000: Sam Mitchell - Resonating (Taxim CD TX 1045-2 TA)