John Lee Hooker once said ‘the blues tells a story. Every line of the blues has a meaning.’
Lucky for us, talented musicians still feel the need to tell that story. And it’s even luckier for us
that one of these musicians is Nashville-based up and coming blues man, Bart Walker.
After college, he moved to Memphis to pursue his dream of playing the blues. While
there, his name became recognizable and he played for the likes of Ruby
Wilson and Preston Shannon. He later formed a band called Five
Mississippi, playing various Beale Street venues, as well as other parts of
Memphis, and as far south as Tunica, Clarksdale and Oxford,
Mississippi. He returned to Nashville in 2005 with a new feel for the
blues, and has since contributed to many studio sessions as well as performing
in a variety of clubs.
In addition to his current role as lead
guitarist for B.B. King’s All-Stars at B.B.
King’s Blues Club, and American Idol’s
Bo Bice, he has also chalked up countless
hours in the studio with Steve Gorman
(Black Crows), A.J. Croce (son of Jim
Croce), Bo Bice, Audly Freed. (Cry Of
Love & Black Crows), and Robert Kearns
(Lynyrd Skynyrd).
The band includes: Bart Walker -
guitar and vocals, Reese Wynans
(Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double
Trouble) – B3 and other keyboards,
Paul Ossola (G.E. Smith
and the Saturday Night Live
Band) – bass and Jim Thistle –
drums.
BART IS COMING OFF HIS PRESTIGIOUS
BIG FIRST RUNNER UP AWARD IN THE
INTERNATIONAL BLUES COMPETITION
AND GIBSON GUITAR’S MOST PROMISING
ARTIST AWARD.
