Buster Benton
A Chicago blues survivor whose smooth, pleading voice and resilient spirit echoed through decades, even after losing both legs to diabetes.
1932–1996 (age 64)·American blues guitarist and singer·Birthday: July 19·The Silent Generation
Biography
Buster Benton's story is one of Chicago blues tenacity. Born in Arkansas, he moved north and cut his teeth as a guitarist in Willie Dixon's legendary Blues All-Stars, a proving ground for giants. While he recorded steadily through the 1970s, his signature moment came with a song he didn't write: his 1977 rendition of Dixon's 'Spider in My Stew' became a jukebox staple, its soulful, conversational vocal style making it an anthem. Benton's career was defined by a stubborn dedication to his craft. In the 1990s, after years of battling diabetes, he underwent the amputation of both legs. Defying all expectation, he continued to perform, often being carried onto stages where he would play sitting down. His final album, 'Blues Attack,' was recorded in this condition, a raw testament to a man whose music was as essential as breath.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Buster was born in 1932, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Buster Was Born
The biggest hits of 1932
#1 Movie
Grand Hotel
Best Picture
Grand Hotel
Buster's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1932Born
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1937Started school
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1945Became a teenager
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Could drive
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1950Could vote
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Turned 21
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1962Turned 30
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 40
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 50
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 60
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1996Died at 64
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
Key Achievements
- His 1977 single 'Spider in My Stew' became a defining Chicago blues radio hit.
- Served as a longtime guitarist for Willie Dixon's Blues All-Stars, shaping the sound of 1970s Chicago blues.
- Released the powerful late-career album 'Blues Attack' in 1994 after his amputations.
Did You Know?
He was known for his sartorial style, often performing in sharp suits.
Despite his amputations, he insisted on using a regular guitar strap while seated on stage.
His song 'Money Is the Name of the Game' was featured in the film 'The Color of Money.'
“Spider in my stew, and it's been there since I don't know when.”
