Photo Credit: © Jeff Katz
“For five years, Walter, Provogue Records, and I have worked towards making Walter’s 25th year as a solo artist a special celebratory event. But The festivities will have to wait! Walter is urgently in need of a liver transplant. It has been heart-breaking for me to watch Walter struggle through these past many months, as we tried various treatment options provided by Walter’s doctors and liver specialists. One by one the treatments failed. Yet through it all, Walter’s courage and determination continually amazed me. Even as he became a shadow of his former self, after losing 100 pounds and much of his strength, he continued touring, writing, playing, singing, and recording. Music and playing for people offered Walter what it always has: It is therapy and a life-line for him when the blues comes callin’. Thus the theme of this album is colored by his confrontation with mortality combined with a deep, all-abiding desire to persevere, and a good dose of typical Walter’esque life-affirming defiance!” Marie Trout – March 2014
“When Walter re-joined Provogue in 2008 we talked about a plan leading up to the 25th anniversary of his career as a solo artist which is this year, 2014. Besides a brand new album we also made a book and a documentary. Not only to make people aware of the 25th anniversary but also to have people realize just how good and how important an artist Walter is for the blues rock genre Worldwide. A phenomenal guitar player and an even greater person. Always speaking from the heart and always in for a good joke. The touring set up for 2014 was fantastic with shows at the prestigious North Sea Jazz festival and the Carre theater in Amsterdam amongst many other great ones. Instead of being out there on the road giving his usual all to his many fans night after night, Walter is fighting for his life and there is nothing to celebrate at this moment. This is so very very sad and we all are praying for Walter to come out on top. The album will be released June 2nd as planned as Walter definitely wants this one to be heard. In the meantime our hearts are with Walter and his family.” Ed van Zijl – Provogue Records
From the first time Walter Trout as a tormented teenager heard the haunting guitar playing of Mike Bloomfield, he instinctually knew the blues was his calling.
2014 marks the year Walter Trout looks back at an almost 50-year commitment to playing and singing the blues. “The Blues Came Callin” will be released worldwide on Monday June 2. The album was recorded throughout 2013. The songs on the album reflect Walter’s thoughts about mortality and his renewed appreciation for being alive.
As he became physically weaker, he fought to continue touring, and found that playing for people was powerful medicine. Like the title of the new studio album, the blues definitely came callin’ for Walter. It kept him fighting, and in the process, it made him more determined than ever.
Walter is currently awaiting a liver transplant at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.
“To play my music for people has become even more important to me. When I think about looking out into the crowds of people and connecting with everyone on a soul level, and sharing the experience of music with them, this is what keeps me fighting to get back: My family and my music is my lifeline. These days, it means more to me than ever before.”
The Blues Came Callin’ – The New Album
Release date: 2nd June Europe / 10th June USA
Recorded throughout 2013 and early 2014, the new album features 12 new songs of which 10 are originals. One is written by John Mayall for the occasion, one is a J.B. Lenoir cover. Walter searches his soul on this album and lays it bare allowing new appreciation for life. The blues comes full circle; both as a reflective statement about his life and career, and as an all-penetrating desire to get back on stage and do what he loves most.
Walter Trout – The Blues Came Calling EPK
Walter Trout on the songs on the new album The Blues Came Callin’
The Bottom Of The River
It is a figurative expression, a metaphor, of what I have been going through recently. It tells the story of a man who is pulled and held on the bottom of a river by the current. He realizes that he is about to drown; it seems like too much of a fight to get back up to the surface. Then in an instant he has a deep understanding – and he hears his inner voice tell him that it is not his time to die. He looks within, fights the current with all he’s got, and makes it up to the surface for that life-giving breath. At that moment he notices the beauty of the world which he had always previously taken for granted. He realizes that he is now a man who is forever changed.
The Blues Came Callin’
This is the title track on the album that features my friend and mentor, John Mayall on Hammond B3 organ. In a traditional blues format it tells the story of a man lying in bed who is suddenly gripped tightly by the blues. The blues comes in through his window, holds on to the man and will not let him free. All night long it says to him: “You’ll never be the man you used to be.” We can sometimes be our own worst fear mongers – and this is what this song is about.
Wastin’ Away
You will hear in this track that even if my body is wasting away. I am defiant about it. I will not go gentle into that good night!
Take A Little Time
I’ve done many Chuck Berry’esque songs over my recording career, but this one probably comes closest to having an authentic Chess Records feel. It’s inspired by the breakneck pace that everyone I know seems to be living their lives at these days. If you are unfulfilled and looking for love, you’re going to need to take a little time out from the rat race and take care of your own heart.
Tight Shoes
This is as Freddy King’esque guitar instrumental piece. The title comes from my father, Ed Trout, Sr. When I was a kid, he took the family out to dinner at a very swanky restaurant in Atlantic City. It was very quiet and somber in there. As he got up to leave, he inadvertently cut loose with a massive, thunderous, earth-shaking fart. The whole place stopped and looked at him in horror. He just turned to the room, looked at everybody there, shrugged his shoulders and said, “Tight shoes.” His humor and sense of confidence has left a lasting impression on me.
The Whale
This song was written by the great Mr. J.B. Lenoir. John Mayall turned me on to Mr. Lenoir’s music many years ago. This is my tribute to JB and also to Mr. Mayall.
Willie
This song is about the many times I have been ripped off by many different people in the music business in my past. I chose the name because it sings well. But it is about the experience of trusting somebody to handle your business affairs, and then having them steal from you and exploit their position.
Hard Time
It’s a funky song that compares your lover leaving you to doing hard time in solitary. But this solitary is all in your mind and in your heart; an invisible psychological cage.
Mayall’s Piano Boogie
When John Mayall came in the studio, I asked him to play some old style boogie woogie piano. He walked right over to the piano and began playing. Eric Corne pushed “record”. The rest of us quietly walked in the studio and joined in. It’s a spontaneous, one-take, no-rehearsal jam.
Born In The City
I spent a good part of my youth wandering in the city of Philadelphia, and I grew to love being in big energetic, bustling cities. Never did feel like living the life of a country gentleman!
The World Is Goin’ Crazy (And So Am I)
A blues-rocker which basically says: If I take a long look around, sometimes I feel like I’m just gonna completely lose my mind at the state of the world.
Nobody Moves Me Like You Do
This song is written specifically for my beloved wife, Marie. It is my gift to her. It sums up my feelings for her.
The Official Biography
Walter’s official biography, co-written with British music journalist, Henry Yates, will be simultaneously released with the new album on June 2nd. Entitled Rescued From Reality – The Life and Times of Walter Trout, the book features previously untold stories, and is packed with rare photographs from Walter’s personal archive.
The book documents an initially blissful childhood, shattered by divorce, abuse, and violence. As the story unfolds, it leads us through Walter’s life of heartache, poverty, living on the street and being “the only white guy” struggling in famous blues bands in LA in the late 1970’s.
Walter reflects on his time in the 1980’s when nobody cared to hear the blues, to being “discovered” and having long-time gigs as a hard-playing and hard-drinking and drugging globetrotting sideman with Canned Heat and John Mayall. The book chronicles how Walter eventually became drug-free, broke out on his own and embarked on a solo career in 1989.
The Documentary
Currently in production and scheduled to be included in the Special Edition of the album, the exclusive documentary features Walter talking in depth about his life and music. Also featured in the documentary are many of the people who influenced Walter personally and professionally.
Fan Organised Fundraiser
CLICK HERE to visit Walter’s youcaring.com medical fundraiser page.
Vinyl Collectable Series
Being released throughout 2014, and limited to only 2,000 copies per album worldwide and produced on high quality 180g vinyl. The albums will have a maximum of 20 minutes of music per side for enhanced sound quality.
“To have some of the best parts of my earlier recordings re-released and celebrated in high-quality audio, is a thrill of the highest order,” reflects Walter. “There is something about re-hearing the music on vinyl – the warmth and the expansiveness of the sound takes me right back to the day it was recorded.”
COLLECTABLE SERIES 2014 RELEASE SCHEDULE
No More Fish Jokes (3/03)
Deep Trout (4/07)
The Outsider (5/05)
Positively Beale Street (7/07)
Breakin’ The Rules (8/18)
Life In The Jungle (9/08)
Unspoiled By Progress (10/06)
Transition (11/03)
Prisoner of a Dream (12/01)
Face The Music (15/12)
Photo Credit: © Jeff Katz
Website Walter Trout: http://www.waltertrout.com/
Love him as a guitarplayer but even more as a person. Hats off for him and his wife Marie! He just got a new liver and I do hope it works out well and that we will see him on stage again in the future.