Fred McDowell

Guitarist

Birthday January 12, 1904

Birth Sign Capricorn

Birthplace Tennessee

DEATH DATE Jul 3, 1972 (68)

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About

Delta Blues musician who stayed true to his roots with rock's growing popularity, inspiring musicians like Bonnie Raitt.

Before Fame

He began playing guitar at age fourteen, using a slide he made from a hollowed-out steer bone, and spent his teenage years traveling around playing music.

Trivia

He stayed mostly unknown to the general public until the 1960s, when his first records, produced by a folklorist, became something of a sensation.

Family Life

He was born into a farming family Rossville, Tennessee, losing both his parents at a young age.

Associated With

Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones recorded a faithful cover of McDowell's "You Gotta Move" for their 1971 album Sticky Fingers.