Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker (May 28, 1910 –
March 16, 1975) was a critically acclaimed American blues guitarist, singer,
songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who was an influential pioneer and
innovator of the jump blues and electric blues sound. In 2011, Rolling Stone
magazine ranked him at number 67 on their list of "The 100 Greatest
Guitarists of All Time".
Walker was born in Linden,
Texas, of African-American and Cherokee descent. Walker's parents, Movelia Jimerson and Rance Walker, were both musicians. His stepfather, Marco Washington, taught him to play the guitar, ukulele, banjo, violin, mandolin, and piano.
Walker began his career as a teenager in Dallas in the
early 1900s. His mother and stepfather (a member of the Dallas String Band)
were musicians, and family friend Blind Lemon Jefferson sometimes came over for
dinner. Walker left school at the age of 10, and by 15 he was a professional
performer on the blues circuit. Initially, he was Jefferson's protégé and would
guide him around town for his gigs.
Walker married Vida Lee in 1935; the couple had three
children. After moving to Los Angeles around 1936, he began performing
regularly in the clubs along Central Avenue, then the centre of the city's jazz
and blues music scene. He started as a singer and dancer with jazz and early
jump-blues bands, such as Les Hite and his orchestra, but by 1940 was playing
electric guitar and singing in his own small combos. His particular style of
jazz-influenced blues guitar and showmanship, which included playing the guitar
behind his neck and while doing the splits, brought him to the attention of
Capitol Records.
Much of his output was recorded from 1946 to 1948 on
Black & White Records, including his most famous song, 1947's "Call It
Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad)". Other notable songs he
recorded during this period were "Bobby Sox Blues" (a #3 R&B hit
in 1947), and "West Side Baby" (#8 on the R&B singles charts in
1948).
Throughout his career Walker worked with top-notch
musicians, including trumpeter Teddy Buckner, pianist Lloyd Glenn, Billy
Hadnott (bass), and tenor saxophonist Jack McVea.
Following his work with White and Black, he recorded from
1950 to 1954 for Imperial Records (backed by Dave Bartholomew). Walker's only
record in the next five years was T-Bone Blues, recorded over three widely
separated sessions in 1955, 1956 and 1959, and finally released by Atlantic
Records in 1960.
By the early 1960s, Walker's career had slowed down, in
spite of a
hyped appearance at the American Folk Blues Festival in 1962 with pianist Memphis Slim and prolific writer and musician Willie Dixon, among others. However, several critically acclaimed albums followed, such as I Want a Little Girl (recorded for Delmark Records in 1968).
hyped appearance at the American Folk Blues Festival in 1962 with pianist Memphis Slim and prolific writer and musician Willie Dixon, among others. However, several critically acclaimed albums followed, such as I Want a Little Girl (recorded for Delmark Records in 1968).
Walker recorded in his last years, from 1968 to 1975, for
Robin Hemingway's Jitney Jane Songs music publishing company, and he won a
Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording in 1971 for Good
Feelin′, while signed by Polydor Records, produced by Hemingway, followed by
another album produced by Hemingway: Walker's Fly Walker Airlines, which was
released in 1973.
Walker's career began to wind down after he suffered a
stroke in 1974. He died of bronchial pneumonia following another stroke in
March 1975, at the age of 64.
Walker was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980, and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.(Info Wikipedia)
Walker was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980, and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.(Info Wikipedia)
London. Nov 30th,1966. Jazz at Philharmonic are: Dizzy
Gillespie, Teddy Wilson, Louis Bellson, Clark Terry, Coleman Hawkins, Zoot
Sims, Jimmy Moody, Benny Carter and Bob Cranshaw.
1 comment:
For” T-Bone Walker • 1942-1947 / 1950-1956” go here:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/8j0cu3r8bkuka36/T-Bone+Walker.part1.rar
http://www.mediafire.com/download/wfasxl8giyy380a/T-Bone+Walker.part2.rar
Complete with artwork and track listings.
password: egroj
A big thank you to egroj @ egroj world blogspot for links
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