Photo: Rtsanderson / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Public records list Paul Butterfield as a harmonicist, singer and songwriter. Paul Butterfield was born on December 17, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Death is recorded on May 4, 1987, at the age of 44. Education on record includes Hyde Park Academy High School and University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.
My Take
Paul Butterfield is simply one of the most important figures in the history of American blues, and I don't think he gets nearly the credit he deserves outside of serious music circles. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago and actually sitting in with Muddy Waters as a teenager — that's not a resume line, that's a baptism. His harmonica playing was ferocious and technically brilliant in a way that felt almost impossible for a white kid from Hyde Park, and he took that raw Chicago blues and injected it into the rock world at exactly the right moment. His set at Woodstock, his work on the Band's recording sessions, the way he stretched blues into jazz territory on "East-West" — it all holds up. Gone at 44, which is a genuine tragedy for American music.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Paul Butterfield
- Name (Japanese)
- ポール・バターフィールド
- Reading
- ぽーる・ばたーふぃーるど
- Born
- December 17, 1942 – May 4, 1987
- Origin
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Occupation
- harmonicist / singer / songwriter / musician
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Horse
2. Background
- High school
- Hyde Park Academy High School
- University
- University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Paul Butterfield born?
Paul Butterfield was born on December 17, 1942.
When did Paul Butterfield die?
Paul Butterfield died on May 4, 1987, aged 44.
Where was Paul Butterfield from?
Paul Butterfield was from Chicago, Illinois, United States.
What did Paul Butterfield do?
Paul Butterfield worked as harmonicist, singer, songwriter, musician.
Where did Paul Butterfield study?
Paul Butterfield attended University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.
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