Little Walter: The True King Of Blues Harp
Little Walter single-handedly fashioned the stylistic approach for harmonica which has been emulated by virtually every blues harmonica player.
According to DownBeat, “Little Walter almost single-handedly fashioned the stylistic approach for harmonica which has since become standard for the genre and has been emulated by virtually every blues harmonica player.” Indeed, it’s been said that Little Walter was to harmonica blues what Charlie Parker was to jazz saxophone and Jimi Hendrix was to rock guitar and it’s impossible to argue. Yet, outside those of us who love the blues, he is not nearly as well known as he should be.
Born Marion Walter Jacobs on May 1, 1930, in rural Louisiana, he moved to Chicago at the age of 16 and began playing the clubs with Tampa Red and Big Bill Broonzy.
Walter recorded first in 1947; the following year he toured and recorded with Muddy Waters band as well as playing on the records of other Chicago musicians. The power of his harmonica added great intensity to many a blues record and soon he was offered the chance to record under his own name. In 1952 he cut “Juke,” as Little Walter & his Night Cats for the Checker label and it made No.1 on the R&B charts in September of the same year; in so doing it became the first of 15 of his records to chart.
In 1955 “My Babe” also topped the R&B charts with “Sad Hours,” “Blues With A Feeling,” and “You’re So Fine” all reaching No.2. These records along with “Key To The Highway” represent the cream of Little Walter’s output that has influenced blues musicians for the last half-century.
Little Walter continued to record with Muddy Waters – the two men dominated the Chicago blues scene in the 1950s. Walter toured Europe in 1962, appearing on the American Folk Blues Festival, but after returning to the USA his career hit the buffers; although he did tour Europe again in 1967. He was a heavy drinker and liked to fight and, after a vicious brawl on February 15, 1968, he died of coronary thrombosis. Little Walter was 37 years old.
What remains, however, is some indelible music. Music that still resonates. As John Lee Hooker said, “He’s got a lot a soul!”
Follow the Chess Records Essential playlist to hear Little Walter and other blues icons.
Pete Sheridan
February 16, 2015 at 10:03 pm
Nice concise history of Little Walter’s all too short life. Maybe a few folks will read it and further investigate his recorded legacy. If it wasn’t for him there would be very few harmonica players today making a living by playing the blues and blues-influenced music. He set the standards, and most of his peers are also gone. Aside from Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin and Charlie Musselwhite , very few players now on the scene have come close to his genius. There are a lot of pretenders to the throne out there, and most of them have confused taste and tone with volume. He didn’t.
Les
October 7, 2015 at 1:46 pm
Well you still have James Cotton and several others playing up a storm..Billy Branch ,Sugar Blue ,Mark Hummel,James Harmon..
sean sewell
February 16, 2016 at 3:10 pm
Check out Paul Lamb and the Kingsnakes, go see em live, send a shiver down my spine he’s so good.
Derek Young
May 3, 2016 at 3:30 am
Nice stuff
pete jones
May 2, 2017 at 1:37 pm
Also check out Quebecer Guy Belanger, The best I’ve ever seen. Notable mention Jim Zeller. Carl Tremblay.
Rex Humphrey
February 16, 2018 at 11:26 am
Don’t forget Paul Jones, who’s kept the flag flying for the harmonica & the blues for decades, & who sounds pretty good to me.
Thomas
February 16, 2018 at 12:51 pm
I would imagine Little Walter was influenced by Sonny Boy Williamson like all the other greats.
Jim Bailey
February 19, 2019 at 4:32 am
He was influenced primarily by Louis Jordan. Legend has it that his tone was an emulation of Jordan’s sax.
matthew shayne rediker
July 14, 2021 at 3:23 am
the best 10 blues harp players l have ever seen live are rod plazza,william clarke,james cotton,jerry portnoy,rick estrin,charlie musselwhite,kim wilson,mark wenner (the nighthawks)carey bell and nat riddles (my teacher)