[Harp-L] Re: Big Walter honored in his home town

["Glenn Weiser" <celticguitar1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All-

> From today's edition of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. I was interviewed for 
this story, but some bigger dogs got the ink. That's OK-I'm just glad to see 
Big Walter get his props.

-Glenn Weiser

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jun/21/big-walter-earns-star/
Horn Lake honors harmonica master Horton
Big Walter earns marker on Blues Trail
By Yolanda Jones

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Ask any blues fan about famed harmonica player Big Walter Horton, and the 
same thing is repeated over and over.

"The tone. He had the best tone of any harmonica player ever," said Michael 
Frank, who recorded Horton on his Earwig record label in 1979.

"He played from the gut. You could feel each and every note. If you are a 
harmonica player, you know that is hard to duplicate, and that's why Big 
Walter is one of the greatest."

Horton, who died in 1981 at the age of 63 in Chicago, was honored Friday 
with his marker along the Mississippi Blues Trail.

The marker was set up in Horton's hometown of Horn Lake.

The blue and silver marker overlooks the railroad tracks on East Center Road 
in Horn Lake's newly designated historic district.

Horn Lake Mayor Nat Baker explained that the marker was placed there because 
Horton, like many others, traveled on the old Mississippi-Tennessee railroad 
to Memphis and then on to Chicago.

Horton was the 44th blues musician to receive one of the 120 markers to be 
installed by the Mississippi Blues Commission to track the birth of the 
blues in the state.

It was the second marker in DeSoto County in memory of a local blues legend. 
Memphis Minnie has a marker in Walls.

Born April 6, 1918, in Horn Lake, Horton was playing the harmonica by the 
time he was 5.

"I met Big Walter when he was 17 and I was 20 on Beale Street in Memphis," 
recalled David "Honeyboy" Edwards, one of the original Delta blues 
musicians. "At that time, he was playing in the Memphis Jug Band and playing 
for tips."

Edwards drove to Horn Lake from Chicago Friday morning to attend the 
unveiling of Horton's marker.

Edwards, who turns 93 next week, is still playing and touring the world. He 
also has a marker in his hometown of Shaw, Miss.

"Big Walter could make that harmonica sing," Edwards recalled. "He was good, 
real good."

In the 1950s, Horton recorded for Sam Phillips on Sun Records. The label's 
first record is credited to "Jackie Boy and Little Walter," as in Jack Kelly 
and Horton.

Soon after, Horton changed his name to Big Walter to avoid being confused 
with Chicago harmonica player Little Walter Jacobs.

Horton was also nicknamed "Shakey" and "Tangle Eye," referring to his head 
shaking and eye mannerisms as he played. He was later diagnosed with 
nystagmus, a condition related to eye movement that can result in 
involuntary head shaking.

During his career, Horton, who lived in Chicago, performed and recorded with 
everyone from Muddy Waters to Johnny Winter and Fleetwood Mac.

He was regarded as one of the top harmonica blues players in the world.

But to Antoine Hardin and Mervyn Peters, Horton was just "granddaddy."

Horton's grandsons, both of Memphis, told the crowd Friday that their 
mother, Christine Marshall, Horton's youngest child, was ill and couldn't 
attend the marker ceremony.

"We are proud to be here and are glad that they are recognizing granddaddy," 
said Peters, 38.

Peters said he remembers his grandfather trying to teach him how to play the 
harmonica.

"He tried, but it just didn't take," Peters said. "I wish it had, but back 
then we just wanted granddaddy to take us to the cowboy movies at the 
Orpheum. We later learned who he was and what he meant in the world of 
blues."

-- Yolanda Jones: (662) 996-1474