Aaron Thibadeaux "T-Bone" Walker

Aaron Thibadeaux "T-Bone" Walker (May 28, 1910 — March 16, 1975) was a

critically acclaimed American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-

instrumentalist who was one of the most influential pioneers and innovators of

the jump blues and electric blues sound. He is believed by some biographers to

be the first musician to perform playing the electric guitar. In September

2003, Rolling Stone ranked him at #47 in their list of "The 100 Greatest

Guitarists of All Time"T-Bone Walker is the stage name for Aaron Thibeaux

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, in addition to his natural ability to

sing.

Early in the 1920s, the teenage Walker learned his craft amongst the street-strolling string bands of Dallas. His mother and stepfather, (member of the

Dallas String Band) were musicians, and family friend Blind Lemon Jefferson sometimes joined the family for dinner.[5] Walker had left school at

age 10, and by 15, he was a professional performer on the blues circuit, with famed performer Charlie Christian as his mentor. Initally, he

was Jefferson's protégé and would guide him around town for his gigs. In 1929, Walker made his recording debut with a single for Columbia

Records, "Wichita Falls Blues"/"Trinity River Blues," billed as Oak Cliff T-Bone. Oak Cliff was the community he lived in at the time and T-Bone a

corruption of his middle name. Pianist Douglas Fernell was his musical partner for the record. Walker married Vida Lee in 1935 and the couple

had three children. By the age of 26 he was working the clubs in Los Angeles' Central Avenue; sometimes as the featured singer and guitarist with

Les Hite's 1942, with his second album release, Walker's new-found musical maturity and ability had advanced to the point that Rolling Stone

claimed that he "shocked everyone" with his newly developed distinctive song upon the release of his first single "Mean Old World", on the Capitol

Records label. Much of his output was recorded from 1946–1948 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

1946), 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 Black & White, he recorded from 1950-54 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 Memphis

Slim and prolific writer and musician, Willie Dixon, among others. Several critically acclaimed albums followed, such as I Want a Little Girl.

Walker recorded in his last years, from 1968–1975, 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 Hemmingway; Walker's Fly Walker Airlines which was released in 1973.

T-Bone Walker at the American Folk Blues Festival in Hamburg, Märch 1972

Persistent stomach woes and a 1974 stroke slowed Walker's career down to a crawl. He died of bronchial pneumonia following another stroke in

March 1975, at the age of 64. Walker was interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.