Tom Ball, Peter ‘Madcat’ Ruth and Michael ‘Mudcat’ Ward join me on episode 139 for a retrospective on Walter Horton.

Walter was likely born on April 6th, 1918, in Horn Lake, Mississippi.

He probably made his first recordings in 1939 with Little Buddy Doyle but it wasn’t until the early 1950s that he started recording regularly. After making some early cuts under the name Mumbles, he made numerous recordings as a sideman in the 1950s, including the blues harmonica classics Easy and Walking By Myself.

Walter enjoyed a resurgence on the back of the blues boom in the 1960s, touring the US and Europe and playing with various bands including the Willie Dixon Allstars, Fleetwood Mac and Johnny Winter.

In the 1970s he made some more albums under his own name, including with the Johnny Nicholas band, and also appeared on the Grammy winning Muddy Waters album, I’m Ready.

Big Walter played up until his death on December 8th, 1981, and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame the following year. And without doubt left his legacy as one of the greatest blues harmonica players of all time.

Links:

Discography by Stefan Wirz: https://www.wirz.de/music/horton.htm

Information on Big Walter: https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/horton-walter

Bob Corritore photo gallery: https://bobcorritore.com/photos/big-walter-horton-photos/

Videos:

Hard Hearted Woman, States Records: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89P8ZMfTHfk

Solo recording from Germany: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6RkAlhX7fg

Walter ‘appearing’ in The Blues Brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUUyFrHERpU

Walter Horton discusses using his hands in Ronnie Earl’s apartment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX0Eu5Lqexc

Playing That Aint It & Down Yonder with Ronnie Earl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FghNW94YUaM&t=90s

Podcast website:
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Spotify Playlist:
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