Wade Walton

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Wade Walton (October 10, 1919 – January 10, 2000)[1][2] was an American blues musician and local civil rights leader from Mississippi. He was also a renowned barber, who counted many famous musicians amongst his friends, colleagues, and customers.

Life and career

Walton was born in Lombardy, Mississippi but grew up near Parchman Farm.[2] He attended barber college in Memphis, Tennessee, and subsequently opened a barber shop in Clarksdale, Mississippi.[2]

Walton was known as the "blues barber"

W.C. Handy's house.[6] Walton was proficient on the harmonica, the guitar, and the razor strop,[5] which he played by striking it rhythmically with his razor.[7] Walton was recorded in his barber shop by Paul Oliver in 1960.[8] He later recorded an album, Shake 'Em On Down, released by Bluesville Records in the early 1960s.[5]

In 1960, by chance, Robert Curtis Smith met Paul Oliver and Chris Strachwitz in Walton's barber shop. This led to Smith recording, The Blues of Robert Curtis Smith: Clarksdale Blues (1963).[9][10]

Walton played in the Kings of Rhythm with Ike Turner, but stayed in Clarksdale working as a barber when Turner took the group national.[8]

Many musicians and other notable people patronized Walton's barber shop to play music with him or in homage, including Howlin' Wolf,[11] Muddy Waters,[12] Sonny Boy Williamson II, and Allen Ginsberg.[5]

Walton was also a local NAACP leader during the civil rights movement in the early 1960s,[12] resulting in the bombing of his barbershop.[13]

He makes appearances in Bill Ferris's 1975 documentary about the Delta blues, Give My Poor Heart Ease[14] and in Robert Mugge's documentary film Deep Blues: A Musical Pilgrimage to the Crossroads.[5]

Walton died in St. Louis, Missouri, on January 10, 2000, at the age of 80.[15][16]

Legacy

Walton was honored with a marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail.[17]

Discography

References

  1. ^ "Illustrated Wade Walton discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-1-135-95832-9
    .
  3. ISBN 978-1-58157-101-1
    .
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-521-59181-2
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-1-60473-328-0
    .
  6. ISBN 978-0-306-81716-8
    .
  7. ISBN 978-0-306-80327-7
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-1-4481-3274-4
    .
  9. ^ "Robert Curtis Smith Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  10. ^ "R.C. Smith discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  11. ISBN 978-0-307-83101-9
    .
  12. ^
    ISBN 0-306-81296-7
    .
  13. ISBN 978-0-306-80883-8
    .
  14. ISBN 0-8131-0934-5
    .
  15. ISBN 9780415926997
    . Retrieved December 6, 2017 – via Google Books.
  16. ISBN 9781496813756
    . Retrieved December 6, 2017 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ "Wade Walton". Mississippi Blues Trail.
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