George “Mojo” Buford biography

Best known for having played with Muddy Waters, Mojo Buford was born in 1929 in Hernando, Mississippi. He learned the harmonica from his father and also sang in the church choir when he was young. At 14, he moved to Memphis, where he met B.B. King and other blues players, and started soaking up the music in the local blues scene. After a decade in Memphis, his ambitions shifted to playing in Chicago, and in 1954 he arrived in the Windy City. He formed a band with drummer Sam Burden and guitarist Dave Members and the trio called themselves The Savage Boys. They eventually got to know Muddy Waters, who began booking them as The Muddy Waters, Jr. Band at local venues when he was playing out-of-town gigs. Mojo Buford played with Muddy Waters in 1962, 1967-68, and 1971-72. During the 67-68 period he toured the U.S., Canada, Australia, England, and Europe with Muddy Waters, and also recorded live with him. After his stints with Muddy Waters, he moved to the Minnesota’s Twin Cities area, where he got the name “Mojo” – the fans at a St. Paul barbecue bar couldn’t get enough of his playing on I Got My Mojo Working – and the moniker stuck. Mojo Buford currently divides his time in between Minneapolis and Memphis.