| Phillip Walker | |
|---|---|
Phillip Walker at the Long Beach Blues Festival, 2000 |
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| Background information | |
| Born | February 11, 1937 |
| Origin | Welsh, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | July 22, 2010 (aged 73) |
| Genres | Electric blues[1] |
| Occupations | Musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1953–2010 |
| Website | Phillipwalker.com |
Phillip Walker (February 11, 1937 – July 22, 2010[2]) was an American electric blues guitarist,[1] most noted for his 1959 hit single, "Hello My Darling", produced by J. R. Fulbright. Although Walker continued playing throughout his life, he recorded more sparsely.
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Walker grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast, and by his mid-teens was playing guitar in Houston. He worked with Lonesome Sundown (and would do so again in the 1970s) and Lonnie Brooks. In the mid 1950s he had a spell in Clifton Chenier's band.[3] He spent the 1960s in Los Angeles, California leading a band that played a catholic repertoire of the R&B chart music, joined by his singing wife Ina, alias Bea Bopp.[3] Singles furnished his album Bottom of the Top (Playboy, 1973), succeeded by sets for Joliet, Rounder, Hightone, JSP and Black Top.[3]
Walker was also known for his variety of styles and the changes he would often make for each album. Not until 1969 did he begin to record more regularly when he joined with producer Bruce Bromberg. Since then, fans had a more steady supply of Walker's music.
He appeared on show 237 of the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour in 2002 when Live at Biscuits & Blues had just been released.
Walker's final studio release is Going Back Home (2007) on Delta Groove Productions.
On July 22, 2010, Delta Groove Productions issued an email statement regarding Walker's death: "It is with deepest sorrow that we report on the sudden and unexpected passing of legendary blues guitarist Phillip Walker. He died of apparent heart failure at 4:30 AM, early Thursday morning, July 22, 2010. He was 73 years old." [4] Another article was posted on All About Jazz.[5]