Joe Louis Walker
Award-winning blues and rock and roll guitar player and recording artist who has played with B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix. His knowledge of blues history is revealed by his use of older material and playing styles.
Joe Louis Walker was born in 1949 in San Francisco. His father and mother were really into the blues and under this influence 14 year old Joe started to play guitar. When he was 16 he left home and started answering guitar player ads in the paper. He became good friends with guitarist Mike Bloomfield (Butterfiel Blues Band) who introduced Joe to the Bay Area blues scene.Joe soon was opening for many blues acts – musicians like Earl Hooker, Freddy King, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Lowell Fulson, who also influenced his guitar style. (Bay Area Bands)
As a young guest, Walker hung out at the famous Fillmore East concert hall in New York. He knew Jimi Hendrix personally and even jammed with the supreme guitar god. He later shared an apartment with Mike Bloomfield, one of those other blues greats from the sixties. Later, Walker worked, inter alia, with greats such as B.B. King, Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown, James Cotton and Buddy Guy.
His music is not easy to put in a box, because Joe Louis Walker just does his own thing. With his band, he brings a blend of blues, gospel, soul, r & b and rock. More than twenty albums and multiple awards prove that this sounds very good and appeals to everyone.
Joe Louis Walker is a legendary, groundbreaking icon of modern blues.
Albums
Blues Comin’ On (HighTone, 2020)
Everybody Wants a Piece (Provogue, 2015)
Hornet’s Nest (Alligator Records, 2014)
Hellfire (Alligator Records, 2012)
Between A Rock and The Blues (Stony Plain Music, 2009)
Witness to the Blues (Stony Plain Music, 2008)
Playin’ Dirty (JSP, 2006)
New Direction (Provogue, 2004)
Ridin’ High (HighTone, 2003)
She’s My Money Maker (JSP, 2002/03)
Guitar Brothers (JSP Records, 2002)
Pasa Tiempo (Evidence Music, 2002)
In the Morning (Telarc, 2002)
Silvertone Blues (Polydor/Polygram, 1999)
Preacher and the President (Polydor/Polygram, 1998)
Great Guitars (Polydor/Polygram, 1997)
Blues of the Month Club (Polydor/Polygram, 1995)
JLW (Polydor/Polygram, 1994)
Blues Survivor (Polydor/Polygram, 1993)
Live at Slim’s, Volume Two (HighTone, 1992)
Live at Slim’s, Volume One (HighTone, 1991)
Blue Soul (HighTone, 1989)
The Gift (HighTone, 1988)
Cold Is the Night (HighTone, 1986)
