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
I'm gonna find my baby
T-Bone Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
pero no me lastimes
mienteme, engañame
pero no me lastismes
sacame la vuelta pero no me dejes si te vas
llevame con tigo
sacame la vuelta pero no me dejes si te vas
llevame con tigo
hablaran, criticaran
a mi que me importa
hablaran, criticaran
a mi que me importa
sacame la vuelta pero no me dejes si te vas
llevame con tigo
sacame la vuelta pero no me dejes si te vas
llevame con tigo
unos me dicen pisada
otros me dicen que chula
pero eso a quien le importa
si todo eso es puro amor
unos me dice pisada
otros me dicen que tonta
pero eso a quien le importa
si todo eso es puro amor
unos me dicen pisada
otros me dice que tonta
pero eso a quien le importa
si todo eso es puro amor
FIN
The lyrics to T-Bone Walker's song "I'm Gonna Find My Baby" convey a sense of vulnerability and plea for emotional honesty from a lover. The lines "Mienteme, engañame/Pero no me lastimes" (Lie to me, deceive me/But don't hurt me) indicate a desire for the lover to be truthful in their actions, even if their words are false. The repetition of "sacame la vuelta pero no me dejes si te vas/Llevame con tigo" (Turn away from me but don't leave me if you go/Take me with you) reinforces this desire for the lover to stay and not abandon the singer.
The second stanza, "Hablaran, criticaran/A mi que me importa" (They'll talk, they'll criticize/But what do I care) further expresses the singer's willingness to overlook outside opinions and focus on the love they share with their partner. The last stanza, "Unos me dicen pisada/Otros me dicen que tonta/Pero eso a quien le importa/Si todo eso es puro amor" (Some call me footprints/Some call me stupid/But what does it matter/If it's all pure love) emphasizes the importance of love in the face of judgment and societal pressure.
Overall, the lyrics to "I'm Gonna Find My Baby" reveal a complex mixture of emotions and desires in a romantic relationship, including a need for truth and loyalty, a desire to ignore outside opinions, and a commitment to love no matter the cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Mienteme, engañame
Lie to me, deceive me
Pero no me lastimes
But don't hurt me
Sacame la vuelta pero no me dejes si te vas
Turn away from me, but don't abandon me if you leave
Llevame con tigo
Take me with you
Hablaran, criticaran
They will talk, they will criticize
A mi que me importa
What do I care?
Unos me dicen pisada
Some call me a flirt
Otros me dicen que chula
Others say I'm conceited
Pero eso a quien le importa
But who cares about that?
Si todo eso es puro amor
If it's all for love
Unos me dicen pisada
Some call me a flirt
Otros me dice que tonta
Others call me stupid
Pero eso a quien le importa
But who cares about that?
Si todo eso es puro amor
If it's all for love
Writer(s): Aaron T.-Bone"Walker"
Contributed by Lucy N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.