The Gospel According To Sam

Sam Langhorn (1933-2007) was known among locals as the best blues guitarist to come out of Oxford, Mississippi, but he somehow eluded the blues mafia who scoured the state looking for talent. The recordings here are the first ever issued by Langhorn, who demonstrates his skills performing traditional gospel in a style remarkably similar to Mississippi John Hurt. He learned guitar from his mother Camilla, who played at sanctified church services, but eventually chose the blues lifestyle.

The recordings were made around 1963 by two former Ole Miss football stars who befriended Langhorn and simply made the recordings for fun before putting them aside for half a century. Jimmy Hall went on to pursue a career of acting in New York City and L.A., and Robert Khayat a Pro Bowl career with the Washington Redskins then returned to the University of Mississippi, where he became a celebrated Chancellor.