Paul Oscher

about

PAUL OSCHER (1950.04.05/Brooklyn, NY - ) is an award-winning blues singer, songwriter, recording artist, and multi-instrumentalist, (harmonica, guitar, piano, melodica, and bass harp). He is married to Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. Paul Oscher first came to national attention as Muddy Waters’ harmonica player between 1967-1972 following in the footsteps of Little Walter, Junior Wells, James Cotton and Big Walter Horton. Paul Oscher was the first white musician in the world to become a full-time member of a black blues band of this stature. Paul started playing the blues at the age of twelve when his uncle gave him a marine band harmonica and was taught the rudiments of blues harmonica by Jimmy Johnson, a southern medicine show harp player. By the time Paul was fifteen he had hooked up with guitarist/singer Little Jimmy Mae and was playing professionally in soul revues at black clubs like the Baby Grand, The 521 Cub, Seville Lounge and the Nitecap. In the mid-l960s Paul met Muddy Waters back stage at the Apollo Theatre and in 1967, when Muddy came to New York without a harp player, Paul sat in with the band. He played two numbers: "Baby Please Don’t Go" and "Blow Winds Blow." Muddy hired him on the spot. Working alongside blues greats like Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, Sammy Lawhorn, Pee Wee Madison and S.P. Leary, Paul learned the deep Blues phrasing and timing characteristic of his music today. Paul lived on the Southside of Chicago in Muddy Waters’ h

top songs

albums

Alone With The Blues

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Living Legends: Deep In The Blues

Bet On the Blues (Limited Edition)

Knockin' on the Devil's Door

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Down In The Delta

Bet on the Blues

Cool Cat

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Chitlins Con Carne

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Santa's Got Mojo 2 - An Electro-Fi Christmas Blues Celebration

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Heroes Of Blues

The Deep Blues Of Paul Oscher

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Putumayo Presents Blues Christmas

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