T-Bone Walker's Blog

T-Bone Walker is known for playing a big part in blues history. He possessed an amazing talent to capture emotion and beauty in a blues song. He wasn't, however, given this title over night. Childhood influences as well as events that have occurred in his lifetime aided him in his music. This paper will talk about T-Bone Walker's musical influences and how he as impacted the Black American blues culture.

T-Bone Walker was born Aaron Thibeaux Walker on May 28, 1910. He was born in Linden, Texas, but later moved to Dallas when his parents divorced. An influencing factor in his childhood was his mother and stepfather's involvement in music. His mother, Movelia played the guitar and her husband Marco played the bass. Another thing that set up T-Bone's course in music were friends of the family.

Blind Lemon Jefferson and Huddie Ledbetter were country blues artists who were friends with the family. This friendship allowed him to be exposed to blues music at an early age. He was appointed to be the designated walker for Mr. Jefferson because of his blindness. He would lead him to different gigs and watched him perform his songs. His step dad also performed with the band The Dallas String Band inspiring T-Bone to learn to practice mandolin, guitar and banjo, which has been the biggest influence on his talent.

T-Bone began a family while he was still in his teens. When he was 19, he recorded his first debut song called Wichita Falls Blues. When in his mid twenties, T-Bone packed his things and his talent and moved to Los Angeles. In 1939 when he was at the age of twenty-nine, he became a vocalist for Les Hite, an important bandleader in Los Angeles. His next recording took place in 1940 with Hite's band. He was the main vocalist and signed with the recording label Black and White. It was during this time that he recorded some of his best songs.