Exile In Blues Celebrates Little Walter's Birthday!

Born Marion Walter Jacobs May 1, 1930 in Marksville, LA

he headed out the door at the age of 12, to towns

like New Orleans, and Memphis. It was in Helena,
Arkansas that he learned to play from Sonny Boy Williamson,

aka Rice Miller. Alot of the big blues artists actually had

radio shows there on KFFA, like Robert Lockwood.
Robert Nightwalk was hosting a show for BRIGHT STAR

FLOWER, while Sonny Boy was hosting a show for

KING BISCUIT FLOUR SHOW. It's amazing to think that

these blues artists were given the liberty of having not only

radio shows, but frequently having baking products

named after them!

What an incredible schooling for the young Little Walter this

must have been. His other big influence was Louis Jordan,

a jump blues singer/sax player. Walter would eventually

join Honeyboy Edwards in moving to Chicago. It was

there that he would go on to work with the great

Muddy Waters, along with his friend Jimmy Rogers, and

help create the classic Chicago blues sound.

What made his sound unique was his use of the

microphone amplification that gave him

that distinctive full echo sound. I think his

playing was actually copying what the piano

player was doing. I can't imagine those

early classic Muddy Waters recordings

without Walter.

Much has been made of his argumentative nature
and drinking, but what a life he led! Leaving home
at a very young age. Playing for money on sidewalks
and anywhere he could set up shop. To learn more,
read DEEP BLUES by Robert Palmer.


The complete Chess Masters box set was just
released in March-

Here's a clip from Little Walter's induction into

the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.