T-Bone Walker

{{Short description|American blues musician and singer-songwriter (1910–1975)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = T-Bone Walker

| image = T-Bone Walker in 1942.jpg

| caption = Publicity photo of Walker, 1942

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name = Aaron Thibeaux Walker

| alias = Oak Cliff T-Bone

| birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1910|5|28}}

| birth_place = Linden, Texas, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|1975|3|16|1910|5|28}}

| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| instrument = {{flatlist|

Guitar
vocals
piano
banjo
ukulele
violin
mandolin

}}

| genre = {{flatlist|

}} Urban Blues

| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|composer|songwriter|bandleader}}

| years_active = 1928–1975

| label = {{flatlist|

}}

| associated_acts = {{flatlist|

}}

| website =

}}

Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker (May 28, 1910 – March 16, 1975) was an American blues musician, composer, songwriter and bandleader, who was a pioneer and innovator of the jump blues, West Coast blues, and electric blues sounds.{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=t-bone-walker-mn0000003829 |tab=biography |pure_url=yes}} |title=T-Bone Walker Biography |first=Bill |last=Dahl |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=17 February 2015}}{{cite web |url= http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fwaap |title= Walker, Aaron Thibeaux (T-Bone) |first= Helen Oakley |last= Dance |author-link= Helen Oakley Dance |work= The Handbook of Texas Online |publisher= Texas State Historical Association |location= Denton |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080127150322/http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/WW/fwaap.html |archive-date= 2008-01-27 |access-date= May 14, 2010}} In 2018 Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 67 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-20111123/t-bone-walker-20111122 |title=100 Greatest Guitarists |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=23 November 2011 |issn=0035-791X |access-date=15 September 2017 |archive-date=22 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122013230/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-20111123/t-bone-walker-20111122 |url-status=dead }}

Biography

=1910–1941: early years=

Aaron Thibeaux Walker was born in Linden, Texas. His parents, Movelia Jimerson and Rance Walker, were both musicians. His stepfather, Marco Washington (a member of the Dallas String Band), taught him to play the guitar, ukulele, banjo, violin, mandolin, and piano.{{cite web |url=http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/tbonewalker |title=Profile of T-Bone Walker |first=James |last=Nadal |work=All About Jazz |access-date=17 February 2015}}

Walker began his career as a teenager in Dallas in the 1920s. His mother and stepfather were musicians, and Blind Lemon Jefferson, a family friend, 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 Deep Ellum, Dallas for his gigs. In 1929, Walker made his recording debut with Columbia Records, billed as Oak Cliff T-Bone, releasing the single "Wichita Falls Blues" backed with "Trinity River Blues". Oak Cliff is the community in which he lived at the time, and T-Bone is a corruption of his middle name. The pianist Douglas Fernell played accompaniment on the record.

Walker married Vida Lee in 1935; the couple had three children.

By the age of 25, Walker was working in clubs on Central Avenue, in Los Angeles, sometimes as the featured singer and as guitarist with Les Hite's orchestra. In 1940 he recorded with Hite for the Varsity label, but he was featured only as a singer.{{cite web|author=Pruter, Robert; Campbell, Robert L. |url=http://campber.people.clemson.edu/rhumboogie.html |title=The Rhumboogie Label |access-date=2017-02-15}} He started playing electric guitar in about 1940.

=1942–1975: later years=

In 1942, Charlie Glenn, the owner of the Rhumboogie Café, brought T-Bone Walker to Chicago for long stints in his club. In 1944 and 1945, Walker recorded for the Rhumboogie label, which was tied to the club, backed up by Marl Young's orchestra.

T-Bone Walker performed at the second famed Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. on October 12, 1946. Jack McVea, Slim Gaillard, The Honeydrippers, Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra, and Louis Armstrong were also on the program.“SHOW TIME” Review by Wendell Green Los Angeles Sentinel Sept. 26, 1946. He performed for the third Cavalcade of Jazz concert held in the same location on September 7, 1947, along with Woody Herman as Emcee, The Valdez Orchestra, The Blenders, The Honeydrippers, Slim Gaillard, Johnny Otis and his Orchestra, Toni Harper, The Three Blazers, and Sarah Vaughan.“Woody Herman, 3 Blazers, T-Bone, Others on Program” Review by Eddie Burbridge The California Eagle Sept. 4, 1947

Much of his output was recorded from 1946 to 1948 for Black & White Records, including his most famous song, "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad)" (1947). Other notable songs he recorded during this period were "Bobby Sox Blues" (a number 3 R&B hit in 1947){{cite book|first=Tony|last=Russell|year=1997|title=The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray|publisher=Carlton Books|location=Dubai|page=13|isbn=1-85868-255-X}} and "West Side Baby" (number 8 on the R&B singles chart in 1948).{{cite web|author=Henderson, Alex |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-masters-the-very-best-of-t-bone-walker-mw0000067347 |title=Blues Masters: The Very Best of T-Bone Walker: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2015-08-30}}

File:T-Bone Walker 1972.jpg

Throughout his career Walker worked with top-notch musicians, including the trumpeter Teddy Buckner (e.g. on "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad)"{{cite web|first1=Brian|last1=Bader|url=https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/tbonewalker.pdf|title="Call It Stormy Monday But Tuesday is Just as Bad"—T-Bone Walker (1947)|website=Library of Congress |page=3|year=2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220141123/https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/tbonewalker.pdf|archive-date=December 20, 2020|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://blues.org/blues_hof_inductee/call-it-stormy-monday-but-tuesday-is-just-as-bad-t-bone-walker-black-white-1947/|title=Call it Stormy Monday (But Tuesday is Just as Bad) — T-Bone Walker (Black & White, 1947)|publisher=The Blues Foundation|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170211080913/https://blues.org/blues_hof_inductee/call-it-stormy-monday-but-tuesday-is-just-as-bad-t-bone-walker-black-white-1947/|archive-date=February 11, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=July 18, 2021}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mutzhimambo.com/22-almanacco-pulp/173-t-bone-walker.html|title=T-Bone Walker|language=Italian}}), the pianist Lloyd Glenn,{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/it/T-Bone-Walker-Blues-N2/release/6228893|title=T-Bone Walker – Blues N°2, Atlantic – 332006|website=Discogs |date=30 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718123146/https://www.discogs.com/it/T-Bone-Walker-T-Bone-Blues/release/2012131|archive-date=July 18, 2021|url-status=live}} the bassist Billy Hadnott (on the LP Hot Leftovers (1985){{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/it/T-Bone-Walker-Hot-Leftovers/release/3850836|title=T-Bone WalkerHot Leftovers|website=Discogs |year=1985 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718124031/https://www.discogs.com/it/T-Bone-Walker-Hot-Leftovers/release/3850836|archive-date=July 18, 2021|url-status=live}} and the 78 "Long Skirt Baby Blues"//"Good-Bye Blues" (1947){{cite web|author= T-Bone Walker and His Guitar|author2= Willard McDaniels|author3=Billy Hadnott|author4= "Bumps" Myers|author5= John E. Buckner|author6=Oscar Lee Bradley| author7=Henry|url=https://archive.org/details/78_good-bye-blues_t-bone-walker-and-his-guitar-willard-mcdaniels-billy-hadnott-bumps_gbia0077354b|title=Good-Bye Blues|publisher=Black & White (123 B)|website=Internet Archive|date= 6 November 1947}}), and the tenor saxophonist Jack McVea{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/it/T-Bone-Walker-With-Jack-McVea-All-Stars-No-Worry-Blues-Dont-Leave-Me-Baby/release/10546387|title=T Bone Walker* With Jack McVea & All Stars* – No Worry Blues / Don't Leave Me Baby|website=Discogs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718122731/https://www.discogs.com/it/T-Bone-Walker-With-Jack-McVea-All-Stars-No-Worry-Blues-Dont-Leave-Me-Baby/release/10546387|archive-date=July 18, 2021|url-status=live}} (on the songs "Don't Leave Me Baby"{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=STHOmNHcC4k|title=DON'T LEAVE ME BABY by T-Bone Walker with Jack McVea|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718122603/https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=STHOmNHcC4k|archive-date=July 18, 2021|url-status=live}} and "No Worry Blues"{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMZrvf8JSs|title=L.A. Noire: K.T.I. Radio - Bobby Sox Blues - T-Bone Walker|date=March 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718122811/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMZrvf8JSs|archive-date=July 18, 2021|url-status=live}}).

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 during three widely separated sessions in 1955, 1956 and 1957 and released by Atlantic Records in 1959.{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Blues|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1995|edition=Second|isbn=0-85112-673-1|pages=363/6}}

By the early 1960s, Walker's career had slowed down, in spite of an energetic performance at the American Folk Blues Festival in 1962 with the pianist Memphis Slim and the 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 music publishing company, Jitney Jane Songs. He won a Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording in 1970 for Good Feelin', while signed with Polydor Records, produced by Hemingway, followed by another album produced by Hemingway, Fly Walker Airlines, released in 1972.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/t-bone-walker-mn0000003829/discography |title=T-Bone Walker: Discography |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2015-08-30}}

Death

Walker's career began to wind down after he suffered a stroke in 1974. He died at his home in Los Angeles of bronchial pneumonia following another stroke in March 1975, at the age of 64.{{cite web |url=http://blues.about.com/od/artistprofile1/p/T-BoneWalker.htm |title=T-Bone Walker Blues Guitarist Career Profile |publisher=Blues.about.com |access-date=2015-08-30 |archive-date=2015-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906082456/http://blues.about.com/od/artistprofile1/p/T-BoneWalker.htm |url-status=dead }} He influenced generations of musicians.[https://books.google.com/books?id=PpIJAQAAMAAJ&q=t-bone+walker%2Bsatanism Living Blues], Living Blues Publications, 1997, p. 83. {{OCLC|3759004}}, {{ISSN|0024-5232}}.{{cite web|url=https://files.elfsightcdn.com/6f52c8a6-a342-4c29-9de5-da861622569e/2f3c962b-f948-430c-8909-4692d981c332.pdf|title=SIR ROD & THE BLUES DOCTORS Come Together Modern Blues Harmonica - Album Review|page=35}}

Legacy

Walker was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980{{cite web |url=http://www.blues.org/foundation-programs/hall-of-fame/performers-in-the-blues-hall-of-fame/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150115023659/http://www.blues.org/foundation-programs/hall-of-fame/performers-in-the-blues-hall-of-fame/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 January 2015 |title=Performers in Blues Hall of Fame |work=Blues Foundation |access-date=17 February 2015 }} and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.{{cite web |url= http://rockhall.com/inductees/t-bone-walker/ |title=T-Bone Walker: Inducted in 1987 |work=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |access-date=18 May 2011}}

Chuck Berry named Walker and Louis Jordan as his main influences.{{cite web |url=http://www.there1.com/browse_articles.php?action=view_record&idnum=115 |title=T-Bone Walker: Blues Guitar Godfather |first=Johnny |last=Harper |work=There Productions |access-date=17 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422132041/http://www.there1.com/browse_articles.php?action=view_record&idnum=115 |archive-date=22 April 2014 }} B.B. King cited hearing Walker's recording of "Stormy Monday" as his inspiration for getting an electric guitar.{{cite AV media notes |title=The Complete Imperial Recordings, 1950–1954 |year=1991 |first=Pete |last=Welding |author-link=Pete Welding |pages=9–10 |type=CD booklet |publisher=EMI Records USA |id=CDP-7-96737-2 |location=Hollywood, CA }} In his 1996 autobiography, King commented that when he first heard Walker, he thought "Jesus Himself had returned to earth playing electric guitar. T-Bone's blues filled my insides with joy and good feeling. I became his disciple. And remain so today. My biggest musical debt is to T-Bone." Blues-rock soloing pioneer Lonnie Mack named Walker his principal blues guitar influence.Liner notes to Ace, UK, CD entitled "Memphis Wham!"; See also: Dahl, Bill. "Lonnie Mack profile at" (https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p438). allmusic.com. Retrieved July 27, 2011. Walker was admired by Jimi Hendrix, who imitated Walker's trick of playing the guitar with his teeth.{{cite book| first= Tony| last= Russell| year= 1997| title= The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray| edition= the blues rock down| publisher= Carlton Books| location= Dubai| pages= 58–59| isbn= 1-85868-255-X}} Steve Miller stated that in 1952, when he was eight, Walker taught him how to play his guitar behind his back and also with his teeth. He was a family friend and a frequent visitor to Miller's family home and Miller considers him a major influence on his career.{{cite web |url=https://web.musicaficionado.com/main.html#!/article/why_steve_miller_thinks_t_bone_walker_is_king_of_the_electric_guitar_by_alanpaul|title=Why Steve Miller Thinks T-Bone Walker Is King of The Electric Guitar |access-date=8 March 2018}}Michael Granberry. "Steve Miller: Dallas set him on his path to stardom", Dallas Morning News, November 28, 2004, Texas Living section, page 2E. "Stormy Monday" was a favorite live number of the Allman Brothers Band. The British rock band Jethro Tull covered Walker's "Stormy Monday" in 1968 for John Peel's "Top Gear". Eva Cassidy performed "Stormy Monday" on her 1996 Live at Blues Alley recording.

According to Cleveland.com, Walker may have been the best R&B guitarist. He "pioneered electric blues by becoming the first artist to make the electric guitar a solo instrument and a true centerpiece of his stunning live shows".{{Cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2020/06/50-most-important-african-american-music-artists-of-all-time.html|title=50 most important African American music artists of all time|date=25 June 2020|website=Cleveland.com|access-date=10 March 2021}}

Discography

=As leader=

"Wichita Falls Blues"//"Trinity River Blues" (Columbia, 1929) as 'Oak Cliff T-Bone'
"T-Bone Blues" (Varsity, 1940) with Les Hite And His Orchestra
"Mean Old World"//"I Got a Break, Baby" (1942 [1945; 1948])
"Evening" (1944)
"Bobby Sox Blues" (1946)
"I'm in an Awful Mood" (1946)
"Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just as Bad)" (1947)
"Long Skirt Baby Blues"//"Good-Bye Blues" (1947)
"I Want a Little Girl" (1948)
"West Side Baby" (1948)
"T-Bone Shuffle" (1948)
"Hypin' Women Blues" (1949)
"Glamour Girl"//"Strollin' With Bones" (1950)
"The Hustle is On" (1950)
"Cold Cold Feeling" (1952)
Classics in Jazz (Capitol [10"], 1954)
T-Bone Blues (Atlantic, 1955/1956/1957 [1959])
Sings the Blues (Imperial, 1960)
I Get So Weary (Imperial, 1961)
The Great Blues Vocals and Guitar of T-Bone Walker (His Original 1945–1950 Performances) (Capitol, 1963)
"Hey Hey Baby"//"Should I Let Her Go" (Modern, 1965)
The Truth (Brunswick, 1966 [1968]) also released as The Legendary T-Bone Walker
Stormy Monday Blues (BluesWay, 1967)
Funky Town (BluesWay, 1968)
I Want a Little Girl (Delmark, 1968 [1973]) also released as Feelin' the Blues (Black & Blue)
Good Feelin' (Polydor, 1968 [1969])
Everyday I Have the Blues (BluesTime, 1969)
Super Black Blues (BluesTime, 1969) with Big Joe Turner, Otis Spann
Super Black Blues: Volume II [live] (BluesTime, 1970) with Leon Thomas, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Big Joe Turner
Stormy Monday Blues (Wet Soul/SSS International, 1970 [1971])
Fly Walker Airlines (Live in Montreux) (Polydor, 1972)
Well Done (Home Cooking, 1973) also released as Back on the Scene: Texas 1966
Very Rare (Reprise, 1973) 2-LP
Hot Leftovers (Imperial [France], 1985)