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Cassell Burrows

 



Cassell Burrows (drums) and Alvin Nichols (bass) | July 1968 | Getty Images | tc807

101 | 29 September 2021

Blues drummer, emcee, mentor and vocalist Cassell Burrow was born in Galloway, Tennessee, on 8 March 1914. 

He located to Chicago in 1933 as a vocalist, and received his first set of drums from Snooky Prior the following year. He played in the bands of Eddie Boyd, Howlin’ Wolf, Eddie Taylor, Homesick James and Elmore James, both in live performances and recordings. There is an unissued album he made in 1962. 

Mr Burrows died in Chicago, Illinois, on 2 May 1980.

Thanks to Marc for his help with this post.

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