Birth name George Buford Instruments Harmonica Labels Various | Genres Blues Years active Early 1950s–2011 Name George Buford | |
Born November 10, 1929Hernando, Mississippi, United States ( 1929-11-10 ) Died October 11, 2011(2011-10-11) (aged 81)Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | ||
George Mojo Buford with Cool Disposition - Everything Going To Be Alright
George "Mojo" Buford (November 10, 1929 – October 11, 2011) was an American blues harmonica player, best known for his work in Muddy Waters' band.
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Biography
Buford relocated from Hernando, Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee in his youth, where he studied the blues. He relocated to Chicago in 1952, 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.
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. 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." Buford returned to Muddy Waters' combo in 1967 for a year when he replaced James Cotton. 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.
He also recorded for the Mr. Blues label (later re-issued on Rooster Blues), Blue Loon Records, and the British JSP label.
Buford died on October 11, 2011, in Minneapolis, after a long hospitalization. He was 81.