Level: 2/3
Tuning: Open D

Sam Collins was born in Louisiana in 1887. He grew up just across the state border in McComb, Mississippi. By 1924 he was performing in local barrelhouses, often with King Solomon Hill with whom he shared the use of falsetto singing and slide guitar. He was first recorded by Gennett Records in 1927, and recorded again in 1931, some of his later recordings appearing under different pseudonyms. He is best remembered for "The Jailhouse Blues." It is played in an Open D tuning.

Sam's approach to slide playing is much more melodic than chordal. He most often treats what the guitar is playing as another voice, hitting response lines to his vocals. And when playing fills or response lines, he keeps playing until he has said what he has to say. As a result, he is quite often "long" in his phrasing. His tone, and inflection and accuracy of pitch in his playing were outstanding.