TAD WALTERS is a man, barely in his mid 30s, who's been at it a long time and came a long way from an early age. Even just into his teens, he was winning blues challenges and turning heads of veterans such as Bob Margolin. It would later come to be that Tad would join Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin in '94, getting his first taste of life on the road.
In the "Old School" of Mr. Margolin, Tad honed his already considerable skills as a guitarist, bassist, harp player and vocalist. He was deeply immersed into the ways of Chicago blues, as Bob himself was as Muddy Waters' right-hand man -- but at the same time contributing the elements of Piedmont-style blues (Blind Boy Fuller will be the first name from his mouth) that Tad learned so well early on as a guitarist. No slouch on harp either, he has a tone and phrasing that earns him gargantuan respect from players 20-30 years his senior.
Besides from Bob himself, Tad learned lots from the artists Bob backed up -- Pinetop Perkins, Jimmy Rogers, Hubert Sumlin, Big Bill Morganfield (with whom Tad would later tour), Billy Boy Arnold, to name but a few of several. A few meetings with Robert Jr. Lockwood were especially memorable and got Tad interested in older jazz and 'rhythm changes'.
These days Tad performs in the region, bringing to audiences a mixture of blues ranging from the old Piedmont tradition, through T-Bone Walker into later Albert King hits -- with a few surprises. It is not uncommon to see Tad put his guitar down to pick up a Marine Band and his trusty '50s EV mic and make you almost think Little Walter hopped up on the bandstand. The most regular lineup consists of T.A. James (bass/guitar during harp segments/"Deep VI" guitar a'la Maxwell Street) and Wes Johnson (drums).
THE TAD WALTERS BAND WILL BE APPEARING NEXT AT:
Sat Sep 5 -- Papa Mojo's Roadhouse (5410-Y NC-55 in Greenwood Commons Durham NC) 9:30PM
