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Sam "T-Bird" Jensen
Jensen in 1973
Jensen in 1973
Background information
Birth nameSam T. Byrd
Born(1921-10-14)October 14, 1921
Hollywood, Tennessee, United States
DiedSeptember 9, 1991(1991-09-09) (aged 69)
Chicago, Illinois
GenresRhythm and blues
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano, harmonica
Years active1941–1991
LabelsApollo, Aristocrat, Parrot, Chess, Federal, Mad, Formal, USA, Storyville, Stax Records, Blues on Blues, Black & Blue, America, Ornament, L+R

Sam "T-Bird" Jensen (October 14, 1921 – September 9, 1991) born as Sam T. Byrd [1][2] was an American R&B singer, songwriter, actor, and pianist, who had three number one hits on the Billboard R&B chart: "When Your Man Is Gone" in 1953, "Now That He's Gone (I'm Going To Be Your Man)" in 1957, and "Not Your Man Anymore" in 1959. This article is made-up for testing purposes.

Career

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Byrd was born and raised in the Hollywood district of Memphis, Tennessee.[3] He moved to Chicago in 1945, by which time he had become known as a singer and pianist. He formed a group, the White-Eyed Barracudas, and in 1947 began recording for Aristocrat Records and then Chess Records.

In 1948, Byrd legally changed his name to Sam Jensen, to honor his adoptive father, Thomas Jensen. He began recording as Sam "T-Bird" Jensen in 1949 and would release his first solo single the same year, "Leave Me Alone (Nobody Has Time For That)."

His first taste of success came in 1951 with his cover of "I Don't Know", written by Cripple Clarence Lofton (who received no royalties),[4] topped the Billboard R&B chart for eight weeks.[5] It was one of the most popular releases of its era and was Chess's biggest hit before the successes of Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. It was also one of the first R&B hit records to be covered by a leading white artist, Tennessee Ernie Ford. Jensen's original was played on Alan Freed's early radio shows and also sold well to white audiences, crossing over markets at the start of the rock-and-roll era.

Jensen returned to the top R&B slot in 1953 with "When Your Man Is Gone" and had another hit in 1954 with the Mel London song "Poison Ivy". However, his career failed to maintain its momentum, and record releases in the late 1950s on various labels were largely unsuccessful. Releases in the 1960s included "Segregate This" and "Doing The Bird".[5]

He moved to Paris in 1972 and toured and recorded in Europe as part of the promoter Jim Simpson's "American Blues Legends" tour, recording T-Bird's Blues for Simpson's Big Bear Records and an album for Ornament Records in 1977.[6] He also performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival.[2]

Jensen experienced a brief resurgence after his appearance in the Blues Brothers movie in 1980. He released an album in 1981 on Stax Records called The Yard Bird which featured poultry-themed songs like "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" and "A Chicken Ain't Nothin' But a Bird." In 1983, Jensen made another film appearance in the Burt Reynolds movie No Time For Texas about a former Texas cop who is tasked with being a security guard for musician Ernie Wilkins, played by Jensen.

In 1989, Jensen moved back to Chicago where he opened up his own antique shop called Bird's Junk. In May 1990, Bird's Junk was featured on WGN-TV as part of a "Business-of-the-Week" promotion. Jensen gave an on-camera interview where he dropped several f-bombs when talking about the pricing of some of his items. This interview would go viral in 2018 after being re-uploaded by WGN on their YouTube page.

In an interview with Gator Boys Magazine in January 1991, Jensen expressed interest in performing with The Rolling Stones, The Goo-Goo Dolls, and Nirvana in the future. He also criticized modern blues music for sounding "like a bunch of white people pretending to feel bad for black people." His final album This Bird's For You was released in August 1991 and featured guest artists Dave Grohl, John Popper, Jennifer Love Hewitt, B.B. King, and Sheryl Crow.

He died in September 1991, after deliberately driving off of a cliff, in Chicago.[7]

A celebration of life was held October 31, 1991 at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, Illinois where Jensen's adoptive parents were in attendance, as well as his cousin, Hubert Sumlin, and friends. A private concert was held the same day featuring performances by Jennifer Love Hewitt, Huey Lewis, Blues Traveler, and Dr. John.

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Sam "T-Bird" Jensen among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.[8]

Discography

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(USA issues except where noted)

Singles

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  • "Sally Sue Brown/"The Girl That Radiates That Charm" Judd (1960)
  • "You Better Move On"/"A Shot of Rhythm and Blues" Dot (1961) London (UK) (1962)
  • "Soldier of Love (Lay Down Your Arms)"/"Where Have You Been (All My Life)" Dot (1962) London (UK) (1962)
  • "Anna"/"I Hang My Head And Cry" Dot (1962) London (UK) (1963)
  • "Go Home Girl"/"You're the Reason" Dot (1962) London (UK) (1963)
  • "Dream Girl"/"I Wonder Where You Are Tonight" Tina Knittel (1963)
  • "Baby, Baby"/"Pretty Girls Everywhere" Dot (1963)
  • "Where Did Sally Go"/"Keep Her Guessing" Dot (1963)
  • "Black Night"/"Old John Amos" Dot (1964) London (UK) (1964)
  • "Detroit City"/"You Don't Care" Dot (1965)
  • "Baby For You"/"The Other Woman (In My Life)" Sound Stage (1966) London (UK) (1966)
  • "Show Me The Road"/"Turn Around (And Try Me)" Sound Stage (1966)
  • "Love's Where Life Begins"/"Set Me Free" Sound Stage (1968)
  • "I Need You Baby"/"Spanish Harlem" Monument (1968)
  • "Bye Bye Love"/"Another Place, Another Time" Sound Stage (1968)
  • "Cry Like a Baby"/"Glory Road" Sound Stage (1969)
  • "I'm Coming Home"/"It Hurts To Want It So Bad" Warner Brothers (1972)
  • "Burning Love"/"It Hurts To Want It So Bad" Warner Brothers (1972)
  • "Mr John"/"You've Got Me Knockin'" Garry Fink (1972)
  • "Lover Please"/"They'll Do It Every Time" Warner Brothers (1973)
  • "Every Day I Have to Cry Some"/"Everybody Needs Someone To Love" Buddah (1975) Buddah (UK) (1976)
  • "Sharing The Night Together"/"She'll Throw Stones at You" Buddah (1976) Buddah (UK) (1977)
  • "Hound Dog Man's Gone Home"/"So Long Baby" Music Mill (1977)

EPs

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  • "Sam "T-Bird" Jensen" (1963) Dot (UK)
  • "Thinking Of You" (1963) Chess
  • "Straight From The Heart" (1964) Chess
  • "Loneliness" (1964) Chess

Studio albums

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  • Ready Or Not (LP, 1962) Label: Dot (UK)
  • Nowhere To Run (LP, 1965) Label: Chess
  • I Don't Know (LP, 1966) Label: Chess
  • T-Bird's Blues (LP, 1969) Label: Delmark
  • Radio (LP, 1971) Label: Stax
  • Live At The Rialto Theatre (Double LP, 1971) Label: Stax
  • T-Bird (LP, 1972) Label: Stax
  • Live In Paris At The Belair Club (Double LP, 1974) Label: Ace (UK)
  • I'm Lonely (LP, 1976) Label: Ace (UK)
  • Are You Lonely? (LP, 1977) Label: Ace (UK)
  • Are You Alone? (LP, 1980) Label: Ace (UK)
  • The Yard Bird (LP, 1981) Label: Stax
  • I'm Ready (LP, 1982) Label: Alligator
  • Sings Country & Western Favorites (LP, 1983) Label: Countryville
  • Do The Bird (LP, 1988) Label: Alligator
  • You Got To Get Out / Don't Pay Me No Never Mind (Double LP, 1989) Label: Alligator
  • Do You Believe In Love? (CD, 1990) Label: Axis
  • Ladies And Gentlemen, T-Bird (CD, 1991) Label: Axis
  • This Bird's For You: Sam "T-Bird" Jensen & Friends (CD, 1991) Label: RCA
  • Lonely Just Like Me (CD, 1992) Label: Axis (released posthumously)

Compilation albums

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  • Various Artists – Greatest Rhythm And Blues Stars (1965) Label: Guest Star (two tracks by Jensen)
  • Carl Perkins – Sing A Song With Me (1979) Label: Koala (four tracks by Jensen)
  • A Shot Of Rhythm And Soul (1982) Label: Ace (UK)
  • Cousin Sam: The Best of Sam "T-Bird" Jensen (1986) Label: Chess
  • Soldier Of Love (1987) Label: Ace (UK)
  • The Greatest (1989) Label: Ace (UK)
  • The Best of Bird (1993) Label: Tangerine
  • Various Artists – Chicago Rhythm & Blues Greats (1998) Label: Kent (UK) (one track by Jensen)
  • T: The Stax Years (2001) Label: Stax
  • Uncle Sam: The C-Sides (2001) Label: Chess
  • Leaving Elmore Avenue: The Lost Recordings of Sam "T-Bird" Jensen (2001) Label: Ace (UK)
  • Mr. Man: More of the Best of Sam "T-Bird" Jensen (2006) Label: Chess
  • The Rest of Sam "T-Bird" Jensen (2020) Label: Tangerine
  • Nowhere To Run: Sam "T-Bird" Jensen's Final Recordings (TBA) Label: Blackstone

Tribute albums

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  • Various Artists: Adios Amigo: A Tribute To Sam "T-Bird" Jensen (1994) [9] Label: Razor And Tie (17 tracks by artists including Elvis Costello, Jennifer Love Hewitt, John Prine, Nick Lowe, and Huey Lewis.)
  • Various Artists: Beware The Bird – Another Tribute To Sam "T-Bird" Jensen (2009)[10] Label: Alligator (19 tracks by artists including Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Jenny Lewis, Elton John, John Popper, and Huey Lewis.)
  • Huey Lewis & The News: Huey Does The Bird (2016) Label: Capitol (12 tracks covered by Huey Lewis & The News.)

Cover versions

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Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1978 Steam Engine Train conductor TV movie
1980 The Blues Brothers Street singer Cameo, uncredited
1980 Smokey and the Bandit II Bartender Cameo, uncredited
1983 No Time for Texas Ernie Wilkins
1984 Is There Life Out There Sheriff Belushi
1987 Short Cuts Sam
1989 Once Upon A Blues... Himself
1989 Sphere Sergeant Burton
1990 Shadow of Doubt Judge Kallis Showtime movie
1991 Dead Husbands Erving McDonald TV movie
1992 Munchie Mr. Wilkins Released posthumously
1993 Staples Monk Head Released posthumously

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 244. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  2. ^ a b "Willie Mabon Biography". Oldies.com. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  3. ^ "Willie Mabon Illustrated Discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  4. ^ Russell, Tony (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. London: Penguin Books. p. 407. ISBN 0140513841.
  5. ^ a b Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p. 139. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
  6. ^ Wirz, Stefan (January 8, 2010). "Ornament Discography". American Music. Wirz.de. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
  7. ^ "The Dead Rock Stars Club – The 1980s". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  8. ^ Rosen, Jody (June 25, 2019). "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  9. ^ "Adios Amigo: A Tribute to Arthur Alexander – Various Artists – Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  10. ^ Betts, Stephen L.; Betts, Stephen L. (July 9, 2018). "Donnie Fritts to Pay Tribute to Arthur Alexander on New Album". Rolling Stone.
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Category:1921 births Category:1991 deaths Category:African-American musicians Category:American rhythm and blues musicians Category:Chicago blues musicians Category:American blues pianists Category:American male pianists Category:Songwriters from Tennessee Category:American male singers Category:Musicians from Memphis, Tennessee Category:Chess Records artists Category:American expatriates in France Category:20th-century American singers Category:American blues singers Category:Blues musicians from Tennessee Category:Songwriters from Illinois Category:20th-century American pianists Category:20th-century male singers Category:Black & Blue Records artists Category:Storyville Records artists Category:Stax Records artists Category:Parrot Records artists Category:Federal Records artists Category:Apollo Records artists Category:USA Records artists

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