Little Walter

LITTLE WALTER
 
 
Little Walter  (born Marion Walter Jacobs; May 1, 1930 – February 15, 1968) was an American blues musician, singer, and songwriter, whose revolutionary approach to the harmonica and impact on succeeding generations earned him comparisons to such seminal artists as Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix.  His virtuosity and musical innovations fundamentally altered many listeners’ expectations of what was possible on blues harmonica.  He was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 in the category Sideman, the only artist to be inducted specifically as a harmonica player.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 

Undaunted the Soul Agents continued their near constant series of gigs in British clubs and also made an occasional appearance on television and radio.  On September 18, 1964 and again on September 21, the Soul Agents backed blues legend Little Walter, a fearsome blues harmonica (“blues harp”) player who was once a part of Muddy Waters’ band.  Wikipedia notes that his “revolutionary approach to the harmonica earned him comparisons to Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix, for innovation and impact on succeeding generations”.  Harmonica is mostly absent from rock music these days, but nearly every 1960’s band had someone who could handle the harmonica.  Playing some of his early sides convinced me that Little Walter is likely the reason for this.  Little Walter is the first and only musician to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame solely as a harmonica player.  

 

(May 2014)