Walker was born in Linden, Texas of African and Cherokee descent. Walker's parents, Movelia Jimerson and Rance Walker, were both musicians. His stepfather, Marco Washington, taught him to play the guitar, ukulele, banjo, violin, mandolin and piano.
Early in the 1920s, the teenage Walker learned his craft among the street-strolling string bands of Dallas. His mother and stepfather (a member of the Dallas String Band) were musicians, and family friend Blind Lemon Jefferson sometimes joined the family for dinner. Walker left school at age 10, and by 15, he was a professional performer on the blues circuit. Initially, he was Jefferson's protégé and would guide him around town for his gigs. In 1929, Walker made his recording debut with a single for Columbia Records, "Wichita Falls Blues"/"Trinity River Blues," billed as Oak Cliff T-Bone. Oak Cliff was the community he lived in at the time and T-Bone a corruption of his middle name. Pianist Douglas Fernell was his musical partner for the record.
Walker married Vida Lee in 1935 and the couple had three children. By the age of 26 Walker was working the clubs in Los Angeles' Central Avenue, sometimes as the featured singer and guitarist with Les Hite's orchestra.
His distinctive sound developed in 1942 when Walker recorded "Mean Old World" for Capitol Records. Much of his output was recorded from 1946–1948 on Black & White Records, including 1947's "Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)", with its famous opening line, "They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad". He followed up with his "T-Bone Shuffle" and "Let Your Hair Down, Baby, Let's Have a Natural Ball". Both are considered blues classics.
Throughout his career Walker worked with the top quality musicians, including Teddy Buckner (trumpet), Lloyd Glenn (piano), Billy Hadnott (bass), and Jack McVea (tenor sax).
Following his work with Black & White, he recorded from 1950-54 for Imperial Records (backed by Dave Bartholomew). Walker's only record in the next five years was T-Bone Blues, recorded over three widely separated sessions in 1955, 1956 and 1959, and finally released by Atlantic Records in 1960.
By the early 1960s, Walker's career had slowed down, in spite of a hyped appearance at the American Folk Blues Festival in 1962 with Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon, among others. A few critically acclaimed albums followed, such as I Want a Little Girl. Walker recorded in his last years, 1968 - 1975, for Robin Hemingway's Jitney Jane Songs music publishing company, and he won a Grammy Award in 1971 for Good Feelin' (Polydor), produced by Robin Hemingway. "Fly Walker Airlines", Polydor, also produced by Hemingway, was released in 1973.
T-Bone Walker died in 1975, at the age of 64. He is interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.
Walker's influence extended beyond his music. Chuck Berry called Walker and Louis Jordan (as well as Jordan's guitarist, Carl Hogan) his main influences. T-Bone Walker was the childhood hero of Jimi Hendrix, and Hendrix imitated some of Walker's ways throughout his life. Years before Hendrix, Walker was playing guitar with his teeth or in strange positions.
Walker was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980, and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987
Glamour Girl
T-Bone Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm cutting out on you
You just a play type of baby.
And I ain't got no use for you.
Seven days you play the races.
Seven nights you stay out late.
Your always caught in funny places.
Glamour girl, glamour girl
I find you'll never do.
You just a play type of baby.
And I ain't got no use for you.
Twelve o clock is rising hour.
You think that's a crime.
You better find a better place for charlie
Cause I'm through feeding ya mine.
Glamour girl, glamour girl
I find you'll never do.
You just a play type of baby.
And I ain't got no use for you.
Now the fastest train that's leavin
Is much to slow for me.
Now the fastest train that's leavin
Is much to slow for me.
When all these years I tried to believe you,
That was just a foolin me.
T-Bone Walker's song "Glamour Girl" is a blues ballad that speaks about a lover who is unreliable and unable to commit. The song's protagonist has had enough of the glamour girl, who is always playing games and can never be counted on. The chorus refers to the girl as a "play type of baby," implying that she is not serious about their relationship.
The first verse speaks about how the glamour girl spends her time playing the races and staying out late. She has a habit of getting herself into strange situations and falling for every guy she meets. The singer has grown tired of being let down by her and decides to leave her behind.
In the second verse, the singer talks about how the glamour girl's lifestyle clashes with his own. He wakes up early in the morning, while she stays up all night. He suggests that she find someone else to feed her habits, as he is no longer willing to do so.
Overall, the song speaks to the frustrations that come with being in a relationship with someone who is not ready or willing to commit. The glamour girl symbolizes a person who constantly toys with their partner's emotions and can never be relied upon.
Line by Line Meaning
Glamour girl, glamour girl.
Addressing the subject of the song, who is a glamorous woman.
I'm cutting out on you
I am ending our relationship.
You just a play type of baby.
You enjoy playing games with men.
And I ain't got no use for you.
I have no interest in being with someone like you.
Seven days you play the races.
You spend a week gambling.
Seven nights you stay out late.
You stay out late every single night of the week.
Your always caught in funny places.
You tend to get caught in strange situations.
Every guy you think is great.
You show interest in every man you meet.
Twelve o clock is rising hour.
You stay up late into the night.
You think that's a crime.
You believe that staying up late is acceptable.
You better find a better place for charlie
You should find someone else to take care of you.
Cause I'm through feeding ya mine.
I am no longer willing to support you.
Now the fastest train that's leavin
I am ready to move on.
Is much to slow for me.
Leaving you behind is not a difficult choice for me.
When all these years I tried to believe you,
Despite my efforts to trust you,
That was just a foolin me.
I now realize that you were just deceiving me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BERNICE CARTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Henry Frost
Brilliant voice and tasteful guitar playing.. Brilliant
Two Fingers Junior
that drums man is a genius!
Stratis07
The Father of electric blues. Set the bar. It still stands. One of a kind. A generational talent. Relatively unrecognized. If you like his music, check out Duke Robillard, who carries the torch for T Bone to this day.
César Santarosa
Mark Teixeira plays with passion too. Great drumnmer who plays with Duke!
Stratis07
Thanks for responding to my post! Duke is the man.He plays with passion and conviction.
César Santarosa
yeahhh! I love Duke Robillard! Great!
tpmbe
wow , pure brilliant
Bananarchy
such a legend, such few views :( thanks for uploading
zero cool
man I miss this guy.
Jessie Nason
This is dark liquor drinking all night loving baby making music thank you Justified