Big Walter Horton

Big Walter Horton
Background information
Birth nameWalter Horton
Also known as
  • Shakey Horton
  • Mumbles Horton
  • Tangle Eye
  • Shakey Head
  • Mumbles
Born(1921-04-06)April 6, 1921
Horn Lake, Mississippi, U.S.
OriginMemphis, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedDecember 8, 1981(1981-12-08) (aged 60)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[1]
Genres
  • Blues
  • Chicago blues
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
InstrumentHarmonica
Years activeLate 1930s–1980
Labels

Walter Horton (April 6, 1921[2] – December 8, 1981), known as Big Walter (Horton) or Walter "Shakey" Horton, was an American blues harmonica player. A quiet, unassuming, shy man, he is remembered as one of the premier harmonica players in the history of blues.[3] Willie Dixon once called Horton 'the best harmonica player I ever heard'.[3]

Robert Palmer named him as 'one of the three great harmonica soloists of modern blues with the two others being cited as Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson II.[4] Also known as 'Mumbles',[3][5] 'Shakey', along with 'Tangle Eye' and 'Shakey Head'[6] (because of his head motion whilst playing the harmonica, along with his suffering from nystagmus).[6][7] Horton was known for his unique tongue-blocking techniques and tone.[5][7]

  1. ^ Sec. J-1, lot 39, grave 5, Restvale Cemetery, Alsip, Illinois. Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons (3d ed.). (Kindle location 22179). McFarland & Company.
  2. ^ Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 193. According to this source, the year of birth is from Horton's birth certificate.
  3. ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "Big Walter Horton: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
  4. ^ Robert Palmer (1981). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. 238-9. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).