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
Love Is Just A Gamble
T-Bone Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say just what you wanna say.
Love is Just a gamble.
Say just what you wanna say.
Its nice to see if your a winner,
If you lose its debt that's hard to pay.
Can't you see love is a gamble.
Can't you see love is a gamble.
It makes headlines in the news.
I've always been unlucky,
All I ever did in life was lose.
Whoa took a gamble on romance.
Just when I thought I had it won.
Took a gamble on romance.
Just when I thought I had it won.
She told me goodbye pretty papa,
I was only havin fun.
T-Bone Walker's song "Love Is Just A Gamble" is a reflection on the unpredictability of love and the risks involved in pursuing it. The song's central message is that love can lead to either great satisfaction or deep disappointment, depending on the outcome. The verses speak to this theme in a range of ways, each emphasizing the uncertainty and chance that love can bring. The first verse warns that love is like a game where there are winners and losers, and the latter outcome can leave a person in debt. The second verse takes a broader perspective, noting that love is a topic that frequently makes headlines and generates gossip. Finally, the third verse is more personal, describing a narrator who had recently felt like he was winning at love only to be surprised by rejection in the end.
Overall, the song suggests that while love is often pursued with great enthusiasm and hope, it ultimately carries the risk of loss and pain. The emphasis on gambling in the song reinforces this idea, as gambling is an activity that is associated with risk-taking and the possibility of either winning big or losing everything.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is Just a gamble.
Love is a risk that may or may not result in success.
Say just what you wanna say.
There are no guarantees in love, so speak your truth and take your chances.
Its nice to see if your a winner,
Winning at love can feel good and be rewarding, but it's not always a guarantee.
If you lose its debt that's hard to pay.
When a relationship fails, it can leave emotional scars that are difficult to heal.
Can't you see love is a gamble.
Love can be risky and uncertain, just like gambling.
It makes headlines in the news.
Love stories, both successful and unsuccessful, are often featured in the media.
I've always been unlucky,
The singer believes they have a history of bad luck in love.
All I ever did in life was lose.
The artist feels like they have never experienced success or happiness in love.
Whoa took a gamble on romance.
The artist decided to take a risk on love and pursue a romantic relationship.
Just when I thought I had it won.
The artist believed they were succeeding in the relationship, but something went wrong.
She told me goodbye pretty papa,
The singer's partner ended the relationship, likely citing irreconcilable differences or a lack of commitment from the singer.
I was only havin fun.
The artist did not take the relationship as seriously as their partner and may have hurt them unintentionally.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDWARD E HALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
walter redaelli
After searching a lot in the blues domain I found that T Bone is the real father of all the guitar bluesman (at least the kind I like).... classy tone and mood a... blending jazz with blues themes... grande T Bone.
CharlesDavidPollock
another classic from T-Bone
David Vasquez
Can't forget his classic Stormy Monday!
Mr Guitar Who
1952 !? these licks are light years ahead of their time.