WALTER DAVIS
Walter Davis (March 1, 1912 – October 22, 1963) was an African American blues singer and pianist.
Davis had a rich singing voice that was as expressive as the best of the Delta blues vocalists. His best-known recording, a version of the train blues standard "Sunnyland Blues", which he released in 1931, is more notable for the warmth and poignancy of his singing than for his piano playing. Two more of his best known songs were "Ashes In My Whiskey" and "Blue Blues".
He was also billed as 'Hooker Joe'.
Davis was born on a farm in Grenada, Mississippi, United States and ran away from home at about 13 years of age, landing in St. Louis, Missouri. During the period from the late 1920s through the early 1950s he played club dates in the South and the lower Midwest, often with guitarist Henry Townsend and fellow pianist Peetie Wheatstraw, and recorded prolifically. Roosevelt Sykes accompanied him on his first records (1930–33); thereafter he had the ability or confidence to play for himself.
He was among the most productive and popular recording artists in blues, cutting about 180 sides between 1930 and 1952, several of which ("M&O Blues", "Angel Child" and "Come Back Baby") have been taken up by other singers.
Davis appears to have stopped performing professionally around 1953. Suffering from health problems, primarily a stroke, he settled in St. Louis, Missouri, supporting himself as a night clerk at a hotel and as a preacher. He died in St. Louis in 1963, aged 51.
He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2005.
In October 2012 the Killer Blues Headstone Project, a nonprofit organization, placed a headstone on Davis's unmarked grave at Greenwood Cemetery in Hillsdale, Missouri. The stone was unveiled at the 2012 Big Muddy Blues Festival in St. Louis, Missouri.
Davis is no relation to the jazz pianist, Walter Davis, Jr.
From WIKIPEDIA
Google translate :
Walter Davis (1 març 1912 fins octubre 22, 1963) va ser un cantant afroamericà de blues i pianista.
Davis tenia una veu cantant ric que era tan expressiu com el millor dels cantants de blues del Delta. La seva obra més coneguda de gravació, una versió del blues tren estàndard "Blues Sunnyland", que es va llançar el 1931, és més notable per la calor i la intensitat del seu cant que per la seva forma de tocar el piano. Dos de les seves cançons més conegudes són "Ashes In My Whiskey" i "Blues Blue".
Ell va ser catalogat també com "Joe Hooker '.
Davis va néixer en una granja a Grenada, Mississippi, Estats Units i es va escapar de casa als 13 anys d'edat, aterrant a St Louis, Missouri. Durant el període comprès entre finals de 1920 a través de la dècada de 1950 va jugar en clubs al sud i el medi oest més baix, sovint amb el guitarrista Henry Townsend i Wheatstraw company pianista Peetie, i va gravar prolíficament. Roosevelt Sykes va acompanyar en els seus primers discos (1930-1933), a partir de llavors va tenir l'habilitat o confiança per jugar per si mateix.
Va ser un dels artistes més productius i populars de blues, de tall al voltant de 180 parts entre 1930 i 1952, diversos dels quals ("M & O Blues", "Nen Angel" i "Menja Back Baby") han estat recollides per altres cantants.
Davis sembla haver cessat en l'exercici professional al voltant de 1953. Que pateixen de problemes de salut, sobretot una carrera, es va instal · lar a St Louis, Missouri, el suport a si mateix com un recepcionista de nit en un hotel i com predicador. Va morir a St Louis el 1963, 51 anys d'edat.
Ell va ser inclòs pòstumament en el Saló de la Fama del Blues el 2005.
L'octubre de 2012 el Killer Blues de Headstone Project, una organització sense ànim de lucre, va col · locar una làpida sobre la tomba sense marca de Davis al cementiri de Greenwood a Hillsdale, Missouri. La pedra va ser presentat el 2012 Festival de Blues de Muddy gran a St Louis, Missouri.
Davis no té parentiu amb el pianista de jazz, Walter Davis, Jr
