Sam Baker was born in 1954 in
Itasca, Texas. He attended
Itasca High School, where he played varsity football with fellow musician
Tommy Alverson. In 1986, Baker was traveling by train to
Machu Picchu in Peru when a bomb placed on a luggage rack above his head by the
Shining Path guerrilla group exploded, killing seven other passengers including the three people who had been sitting with him. Baker was left with numerous injuries, including brain damage, a cut artery, and blown-in eardrums. His injuries required 17 reconstructive surgeries. He has a constant case of
tinnitus and the fingers of his left hand were left gnarled. He did retain enough dexterity to grasp a guitar pick and over time, re-taught himself to play his guitar left-handed. Previous to the bombing, Baker had worked as a bank examiner and whitewater river guide. ==Music==