Interview - 15 Questions For Phillip Walker

Despite recording a little sparingly since his debut in 1959, Phillip Walker is one of the greats of modern day blues, carrying the torch for non compromising material at a time when many cut to the quick money. His background has ensured an eclectic recording legacy, but whatever he plays, as he says in this interview, he plays 'pure' and without compromise.
At the time of this interview, his latest album (first released in October of 2002) was the live album "Phillip Walker Live at Biscuits & Blues" and he's busy touring on it as we speak - look out for potential UK dates. Phillip chatted to the Primer about the early years, some of his recording highs and lows, and his concern for the health of real blues in today's music business climate

You put your first guitar together yourself when you were very young and spent a lot of your spare time learning the instrument. Where did your passion for music and your drive come from? Did music play a big part in your upbringing?
There was music all around me both in Louisiana where I was born and spent my young years and then in Port Arthur, Texas. I worked behind a plough and with the horses, working the land. The music I was hearing' all around....zydeco, R&B, early rock and the deep Texas Blues did influence me. My farming background and the music I would hear became part of me.

Publicity snap

And who were your early influences when you were learning that "cigar box" guitar?
Lightnin Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker and the music of Clifton Chenier, who really took me under his wing when I was a young teenager, really helped me along.

I understand that "Gatemouth" Brown is a relative (second cousin I believe) - you seem to share a love for many different forms of authentic American music, have you ever had the chance to play together?
Yea...the Browns are on my mother side and there is some sort of connection there.
I've listened to Gate's music ...especially that early stuff he did but NO we never did play together.

And just finishing up on the family history, it has been said that you and T-Bone Walker are also related. Is that something you can confirm, or is that just a rumour based on you both having Cherokee ancestry in the family?
It has never really been confirmed but because we both have Cherokee ancestry it was rumoured that we MIGHT be related but that is a rumour based on our Cherokee heritage. Unusual that we both have that background, but it's still just a rumour you understand

Touring with Clifton Chenier at such an early age must have been a wonderful experience. It seems you've always maintained that cajun and zydeco spirit in your recordings - was he a big influence on you musically?
Clifton really was a pioneer of that sound and ,as I said earlier, he took me in under his wing and I went all over the world with him. People all over the world loved the sound that Clifton put together.

You were working as a sideman for the likes of Little Richard and Etta James before you were out of your teens. I guess you can't buy that kind of experience, you must have learnt a great deal very quickly?
Yes I learnt a lot from those artists especially how they presented themselves on and off the stage and how to grab the public's attention with their music and showmanship.

I believe you first met your late wife, Ina Beatrice in 1959 when you started working together. You've often spoken off her in interviews as a massive influence on you musically and throughout your life. Tell us a little about her role in your musical career?
She was my best friend, my wife, my song writing collaborator and band member. She played a very big role in my life and early career

Phillip on stage

By the mid 60s you had your own band and you were doing some recording. How difficult was it in those days to get on to labels recording schedules?
It was very very hard to get on a label unless you had a hit or a sound that made the record people think you might have a hit. Back then the quick hit was what the labels wanted, a lot of blues players ended up recording on lots of different labels

Your first album "The Bottom Of The Top" came out on the short lived Playboy label. How did you get that album off the ground and how come you ended up on a label owned by Hugh Hefner?
Playboys' Hugh Hefner had an A&R and PR man by the name of Pete Welding who was a great cat and a real Blues man. Real hip....real knowledgeable. He brought me to Hefs attention and soon afterwards Pete brought in a real good producer by the name of Bruce Bromberg to work on the LP that later got called "Bottom Of The Top". I guess we raised the roof off with that one!

I remember the release of "Working Girl Blues" and "I've Got A Sweet Tooth" and the terrific critical acclaim they received. You must have been very disappointed that the Black Top label got into difficulties and fell apart and the albums didn't get the push they deserved?
So true so true. The legal battles they (Black Top) went through ...It was a big disappointment to see the nice reviews all over the world and then never see them ever make it to the stores. Alligator later picked up the BlackTop catalogue. I guess they just put it in their catalogue and made it available. I guess that was it. I don't think they ever really re-issued those two CDs. I really don't know what happened with all of that.

Everyone except maybe the blues purists comment favourably on the variety of musical styles that can be found on a Phillip Walker recording. Zydeco, Cajun, R&B, Gospel and Jazz all find their way into the blues mix. You obviously don't like to pigeon-hole what you play.
Well actually, I would disagree with your statement about everyone but blues purists liking my stuff. I think my biggest audience is still with blues purists because I don't compromise my music. But you're right, sure, I may play in a variety of styles, but I play those styles pretty pure. I don't camp my records up with a lot of rock. I am sure you can find a few record producers who will tell ya that's the way it is with me.

You've always had a big following in the UK and in 1992 you put together the album "Big Blues From Texas" with Otis Grand. Tell us a little bit about how that came about?
I came over to do a festival and this JSP Records fellow John Stedman was involved with the festival in some way and he hooked me up with Otis Grand. Otis is a great cat and the record was a lot of fun to do

After 50 years or so in the business, you're still going strong. Any chance that we'll be seeing you in the UK or on the European circuit? You've always been really popular in Europe.
My agent/manager Tom Radai just informed me that I am going over to France and Germany in the Fall. September or October 2003 or sometime. He'll get back to you I'm sure with the exact dates. I know Tom is trying to hook in a few dates in the UK. I guess we will just have to see how that goes. Tom also said I am supposed to go to Spain in early June for maybe a week to two weeks. I am not sure if he is going to try any UK stuff then. Probably he'll try something in the Autumn

With Guitar!

And what's next for Phillip Walker? Any chance of a new recording after the success of the "Lonestar Shootout" album with Long John Hunter and Lonnie Brooks?
Well actually I do have a new CD out on Mark Carpentieri's "MC Records" label. Mark's a great guy and he believed in me and he came out from New York to record me in a live setting. After all the records I have had out in all the years I have been out there I have never done a live album. Mark put that one out and it is called "Phillip Walker Live at Biscuits & Blues"... in San Francisco. It actually came out around October of 2002 and started picking up steam around November and December and we were right there touring behind it. We played a lot of nationally syndicated radio programs that have just started airing or will air late into March. Some that will go all over the world. We will be going out behind the radio programming again for a tour starting next month. I will make sure that Tom gets you a copy

And finally Phillip....when you're not on the road or in the studio, who are the musicians you like to listen to at home? Do you feel the blues is thriving as we head off into the 21st century?
Well of course I always go back to the roots with Lightnin and people like that as I can't ever get too far away from the root of things. But ya know I really like to listen to a lot of people, guys like Ray Charles ...especially his 1940s and 50s songs, the older B.B. King recordings from that same era are always great and some of the 60s/70s R&B people like Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin always give me some ideas. Believe it or not I also check out Eric Clapton every so often as well. Just want to see what he might be up to. Ya never know where an idea might spring up from.
As far as the Blues thriving. I don't think much in the way of real Blues is thriving and I think this rock thing has killed a lot of legitimate Blues and made it hard for me and anyone else who wants to keep touring and playing the real deal. They've hurt us pretty bad but we are still out here fighting and scraping and trying to keep our spirits up. That's not easy because the record companies just keep flooding the market with it and putting money into it. It just might mean the death of real Blues. I guess I'm ready to go down with the ship if I have to!

© The Primer March 2003 - All rights reserved

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