Paul Butterfield

Born on December 17, 1942, Paul Vaughn Butterfield was an esteemed American blues harmonica player, singer, and bandleader noted for revolutionizing blues harmonica playing. Raised in Chicago, Illinois, Butterfield started his music career as a classically trained flautist but later developed an interest in blues music. Eventually, he became a prominent figure in Chicago's blues scene meeting and jamming with blues legends like Muddy Waters. Butterfield formed the Paul Butterfield Blues Band in 1963, which released numerous successful albums and had massive success on the late-1960s concert and festival circuit. The band was celebrated for its innovative fusion of electric Chicago blues with rock and was among the first racially integrated blues groups. Following the breakup of the band in 1971, Butterfield continued to make music and perform, recording with 'The Paul Butterfield's Better Days' band, and his mentor Muddy Waters. His contributions to blues music earned him induction into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Butterfield tragically died of an accidental drug overdose in 1987.