This past week, we were to read a chapter about T-Bone Walker and his life and legacy. I had never heard of him before but was shocked when I read about how huge of an impact he made on the development of music. Walker redefined R&B, and in no time, everyone wanted to be just like him.

When T-Bone was just starting out, blues guitarists weren’t very popular. The emphasis then was on brass instruments, specifically the trumpet, but somehow T-Bone started to make it. His crazy and amazing style of playing caught everyone’s attention. T-Bone was one of the main artists that emphasized the ‘swing’ in blues. He was quoted, saying, ” Swing the blues a little more. … Put a little life into it, a little pep; rock into it. Tap your foot off of what you’re doing.” Walker practiced a style of playing by wrapping his hand around the guitar neck, using his thumb; some believed that he achieved his unique sound this way. He really started to impress people, though, when he started playing the guitar behind his head! He would even do splits on stage without any errors musically. T-Bone was a showman, and girls went so crazy when he played that they would throw their purses, clothing, and money onto the stage.

Overall, T-Bone Walker’s impression was a lasting one, and it is said that he was “one of the few people who put dignity into blues.” This not only inspired other musicians at the time, but also left a mark and some footsteps to follow for the musicians that would come after.