Profile of Doug Sahm on Famous Like Me

Douglas Wayne Sahm (born:November 6, 1941, San Antonio, Texas, died: November 18, 1999, Taos, New Mexico) was a musician from Texas. He was a child prodigy in country music, but became a significant figure in blues, rock, and other genres. Today Sahm is considered one of the most important figures in what is identified as Tex-Mex. Founder and leader of 60's hippie band The Sir Douglas Quintet, and later with Augie Meyers, Freddie Fender and Flaco Jimenez - The Texas Tornados.

Sahm was proficient on dozens of musical instruments and was a lifelong baseball fan.

1940s and 1950s

Sahm began his musical career singing and playing steel guitar, mandolin and violin as "Little" Doug Sahm, making his radio debut at the age five and releasing his firts record "A Real American Joe" at age eleven. In December of 1952 he played on stage with Hank Williams. He is said to have been offered a permanent spot on the Grand Ole Opry, but his mother wanted him to finish junior high. One of Sahm's earliest recordings was rejected by Mercury Records in 1953. Also in the mid-1950s, he started sneaking into San Antonio R&B clubs such as the Tiffany Lounge and the Ebony Lounge, and he was soon performing at the same venues. Sahm formed his first band, the Knights, in 1957. Later in the decade, Sahm joined up with Spot Barnett's band playing mostly black San Antonio blues clubs. In 1960, Sahm travelled across the country promoting a record.⁽¹⁾

He also met Freddy Fender around 1958.

1960s

In 1965, promted by record producer Huey Meaux, he formed the Sir Douglas Quintet with among others childhood friend Augie Meyers. The groups name was chosen in an effort to make the band seem british to benefit from the British invasion. This image had it's problems particularly Sahm's Texas accent and that two fifths of the band where of Mexican origin. The band had a top 20 hit with the song "She's About a Mover" and a lesser hit with "And the Rains Came". The former also charting in England. The band broke up after a bust for marijuana possession in Corpus Christi, Texas. Doug moved to San Fransico, forming the Honkey Blues Band before reforming the Sir Douglas Quintet with a new lineup. Eventually Augie Meyers rejoined the quintet and they released the sucessfull single and album "Medicino". The record contained the song "At the crossroad" with the legendary Sahm line "You just can't live in Texas if you don't have a lot of soul".

1970s

In 1973, Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records bought Sahm's contract produced his solo debut Doug Sahm And Band, an album featuring Bob Dylan, Dr. John, David Bromberg, and Flaco Jimenez. Sahm continued recording both as a solo artist and and with the Sir Douglas Quintet. During this period, Sahm also had a couple of minor motion picture roles. In 1972, he and the Quintet appeared with Kris Kristofferson in Cisco Pike and in 1979 he was featured in More American Graffiti. He also apeared on releases of other artist including among others Willie Nelson and The Grateful Dead.

1980s

In 1983, Sahm and Meyers signed with the Swedish Sonet label, and made several extensive European tours that revitalized their careers. The single "Meet Me In Stockholm" from their Midnight Sun LP went platinum and was one of the biggest selling records ever in Scandinavia. After an accident in 1985 Doug moved to Canada and then returned to Texas in 1988.

1990s

In 1994 he formed Tex-Mex supergroup the Texas Tornados with Freddie Fender, Augie Meyers and Flaco Jimenez. The group recorded four albums and recieved a Grammy. Sahm also recorded with "The last Texas Blues band" and a new formation of "The Sir Douglas Quintet". Doug Sahm Died in a motel room in Taos, New Mexico on November 18, 1999.

Discography

For a detailed discography, see dougsahm.com

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