Little Walter

Little Walter was a blues harmonica player and composer who had a significant impact on succeeding generations. Born and raised in Louisiana, he left school at the age of 12 and supported himself with odd jobs while busking around southern cities. He arrived in Chicago in 1945 and gained attention for his highly developed harmonica work. Frustrated by being drowned out by electric guitarists, Little Walter pioneered the use of amplification, pushing his amplifiers beyond their intended limits to create new timbres and sonic effects. He released his first recordings in 1947 and went on to join Muddy Waters' band, playing mostly unamplified harmonica from 1948 to 1952.

In 1952, Little Walter's instrumental hit "Juke" topped the Billboard R&B chart for eight weeks, making it the only harmonica instrumental to achieve this feat. He achieved commercial success with fourteen top-ten hits on the Billboard R&B charts between 1952 and 1958, including another number one hit with "My Babe" in 1955. Despite his former boss Muddy Waters' fame, Little Walter surpassed him in terms of commercial success.

However, as time went on, Little Walter's fame declined due to alcoholism and a notorious temper. He tragically passed away in his sleep following a fight outside a club where he was performing. Described as the "king of all post-war blues har