T-Bone Walker - Incomplete Discography

Blues musician, born in Linden, Texas, USA. A pioneering electric guitarist, he worked as a lead-boy for Blind Lemon Jefferson in Dallas before teaching himself guitar in the mid-1920s. He toured with a variety of medicine shows throughout the South and made his first recording in 1929. During 1930–5 he toured with Ida Cox, Ma Rainey, Cab Calloway, and Milt Larkins, then appeared as a member of Les Hite's Orchestra for five years, during which time he developed a prototypical style for electric blues. His 1942 Capitol recording ‘Call It Stormy Monday’ was the first of many blues standards he recorded over the next 25 years. He toured with his own band thereafter, but also appeared with the American Folk Blues Festival and all-star jazz groups on annual tours of Europe during 1962–74.

Aaron Thibeaux Walker or T-Bone Walker or Oak Cliff T-Bone (May 28, 1910 – March 16, 1975) was an American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the most influential musicians of the early 20th century.

Walker was born in Linden, Texas of African American and Cherokee descent. Walker's recording debut was "Wichita Falls Blues"/"Trinity River Blues", recorded for Columbia Records in 1929 under the name Oak Cliff T-Bone. His distinctive sound didn't develop until 1942, when Walker recorded "Mean Old World" for Capitol Records.

Much of Walker's output was recorded from 1946–48 on Black & White Records, including 1947's "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)", with its famous opening line, "They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad". 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 much-hyped appearance at the American Folk Blues Festival in 1962 with Memphis Slim, among others.

T-Bone Walker died in 1975 at the age of 64.

Walker's influence extended beyond his music. T-Bone Walker was the childhood hero of Jimi Hendrix, and Hendrix imitated some of Walker's ways throughout his life.

Incomplete Discography

The Complete Imperial Recordings 1950-1954, Imperial/EMI, 1991, CDP-7-96737-2 T-Bone Blues, Atlantic, 1960, 8020 Good Feelin', Polydor, 1970 Fly Walker Airlines, Polydor, 1973 Very Rare, Reprise Records, 1975