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Sammy Myers was a renowned US blues singer and multi-instrumentalist, known for his skills on harmonica, drums, bass, and guitar. Born on February 19, 1936, in Laurel, Mississippi, he spent most of his life nearly blind due to a childhood bout with cataracts. Myers began his music career by teaching himself to play drums and eventually won a scholarship to a music school in Chicago in the early 1950s, where he met the legendary Elmore James. He toured with James for nearly a decade and contributed harmonica to the classic "Look on Yonder Wall" in 1961. Myers gained fame with his 1956 hit "Sleeping in the Ground," a gritty blues noir about a jealous lover that was later covered by various artists, including Robert Cray and Blind Faith. Despite his talent, Myers faced challenges in the music industry, including being cheated out of songwriting royalties for his work. In 1986, he moved to Dallas and joined Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets, where he became the frontman and helped the group produce eight CDs, winning nine W.C. Handy Awards, the blues equivalent of the Grammys. Myers won awards for best harmonica player in 1988 and best vocalist in 1989. He released his first solo album, "Coming From the Old School," in May 2004. After being diagnosed with throat cancer in February 2005, he underwent treatment but continued
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