SAM MITCHELL, one of Liverpool's great blues guitarists, has died of emphysema, at the age of 56.
Fellow musician and friend John Conroy said last night: " It's a tragedy. Sam was a nice guy and had lived life to the full."
Conroy had worked with Mitchell recently and they had some success with a musical number Refugee Blues which hit the number two spot at the internet site AIIRADIO.net.
Mitchell was a much respected name on the Liverpool music scene before moving to London where he played with some of the biggest names in rock and blues.
The catalogue of artists he played and recorded with includes Rod Stewart, Long John Baldry, Alexis Korner, Chris Jagger, Marc Bolan, the Rolling Stones, Stefan Grossman, Bert Jansch, Howlin' Wolf and Mark Knopfler.
He was particularly known for his playing of the slide guitar.
In the 1980s, Mitchell ran his own band which included Conroy on lead guitar and Mitchell on slide guitar and vocals. Other band members were drummer Micky Waller (ex-Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart) and bassist Bill Blair (ex Fleetwood Mac).
Mitchell always worked hard and played hard and some of that hard living is thought to have contributed to his sad and early death.
John Conroy said: "A lot of people are going to miss him and his great guitar playing."
