Sammy Masters was born Samuel T. Lawmaster on July 18, 1930, in Sasakwa, Oklahoma. He showed an early talent for music, debuting on radio at age 12 with Bob Wills. At 16, his family moved to California, where he played in country groups with Spade Cooley and Ole Rasmussen. Masters recorded his first solo single in 1950 and served in the Korean War, performing for soldiers.

In 1954, he joined 4-Star Publishing, where his song "Turn the Cards Slowly" was recorded by Patsy Cline. Masters pursued a rockabilly career, recording "Pink Cadillac" and "Whop-T-Bop" in 1956, though they did not achieve commercial success. His 1959 single "Rockin' Red Wing" became a regional hit and reached No. 64 on the Billboard Hot 100, also charting in the UK.

Masters befriended Willie Nelson in 1961, and his song "Who Can I Count On?" was the B-side to Nelson's "Crazy," leading to covers by Bobby Darin and Wayne Newton. He founded Galahad Records and released an album in 1964. Masters later co-hosted a TV program and worked in television production.

In 1997, he attempted a comeback with Dionysus Records, releasing "Everybody Digs Sammy Masters" and touring Europe and Japan. Sammy Masters passed away on March 8, 2013, in Orange, California, at the age of 82.