May 19 2008
Big Walter Horton: Shakey’s Blues
Known as “Big” Walter in contrast to “Little” Walter Jacobs and also as “Shakey” because oh his characteristic head movement while playing, Walter Horton, born in 1917, was a pioneer blues harmonica player. He began playing harmonica at the age of 5 in his hometown, Horn Lake, Mississippi. As a young teen, Horton started his professional music career in Memphis Tennessee, in the late 1920s. He claimed to have appeared on some records with the Memphis Jug Band at this time, although this has been disputed. He did record with guitarist Little Buddy Doyle for Okeh and Vocalion Records records in the 1930s. Horton spent several years out of the music business in the 1940 but was back and recording for Sam Phillips’ Sun records by the early 1950s. Horton was a part of the Chicago blues scene in the 1960s working with Johnny Shines, Eddie Taylor, Johnny Young, Sunnyland Slim and Willie Dixon.
Here he makes a television appearance in 1965. The set is a gritty urban street scene, appropriate to his position as a “Chicago blues man.” He is playing an instrumental piece entitled “Shakey’s Blues.”
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hello!I don’t know much about blues…We have some portuguese artists that are influenced by the blues; In a city near to the one I live there’s a small festival about this music every year.But I do not have references of it.I like jazz and I have several jazz records, but not blues.Your blog seems quite interesting for music lovers.I discovered Lastfm or Hype machine and I’m also saying wonders about it not jsut about Youtube.Records are too expensive and I can’t buy it!I never could buy all the music I wanted and now I don’t buy more than 2-3 CD per year!I used to buy 4-6 per month!So I listen to it when I work in my laptop.It’s amazing because this way I can listen and pick just what I like unlike radios.If I could I would like to listen to music live…that’s teh best!
“I don’t buy more than 2-3 CD per year!I used to buy 4-6 per month!”
This is the challenge for the music industry. People are not buying CDs the way they used to and new ways market music must be found. I enjoy your comments, Belinha. I hope you will visit often.