Samuel Charters

Samuel Charters (1929–2015) was an American music historian, writer, and record producer whose pioneering research helped bring global attention to the blues and other forms of American roots music. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he developed an early passion for jazz and folk music, leading him to conduct extensive fieldwork in the American South during the 1950s and 1960s. Charters authored numerous influential books, including The Poetry of the Blues and The Country Blues, works that combined meticulous scholarship with deep respect for the musicians and communities he documented. He also produced field recordings, helping to preserve performances by artists who might otherwise have been lost to history. Over a career spanning decades, Charters contributed to the revival of interest in traditional blues and folk music, earning a place as one of the most respected chroniclers of America's musical heritage.